Prime
by Co-junction
Summary: Yaoi! The young Prince of Falena. A new Queen's Knight. Will Hero ever let someone else in? Note: From Chapter4 onwards, the name Sol will be used in place of Hero Chapter14 UP! Special Thanks to YukiChan2 and Legendary Armor for the spiffy fanart!
1. Chapter 1: So What?

**Prime**

All Characters are owned by Konami. I own nothing absolutely NOTHING at all and I do not hope to gain any profit from this. Set in an Alternate Universe…Sort of.

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Chapter I: So what?**

Hero never really liked the new knight his father Ferid brought in. What arrogance. What shamelessness. Uncouth no matter how you looked at him. The plain sight of him just made Hero cringe. He had doubts when his father first introduced the Royal family to him. No background, no fame, no fortune. He was gruff as any man on the street could be; an aura of ruggedness shrouded him like poison mist. When Ferid announced that he would be a Queen's Knight, Hero's jaw almost dropped to the floor in disbelief.

_Him? A Queen's Knight? Surely you can do better than that father._

Despite his biased hate for this knight, everyone else didn't seem to bother. Lyon sure didn't mind, in fact she was gazing at him in complete awe every time he talked about his adventures in the northern lands. His aunt, Sialeeds, would casually flirt with him every now and then. Both of them seemed to have a great time hanging out with a man they barely knew. Hero begged to differ, occasionally he would give a sneer at his comments or just refused to listen to his stories, whether they were true or not. But giving a thought to both the girls, he decided to play along and gave frequent smiles whenever he said something witty or funny. It wouldn't do him any good being angry at the man the whole trip.

"So Georg, tell us about the generals of the famous Scarlet Moon Empire." Sialeeds casually asked.

"They're…quite a unique bunch I'd say. Oh yeah! There's this really queer…" Georg's voice trailed off in Hero's mind. He didn't really bother about anything the older man said. To Hero, the role of telling stories of faraway lands was given to Ferid and Ferid alone.

_And I didn't really need to hear that from you._

The three of them roared with laughter, which gave Hero the cue to follow suit. He hated this reluctant charade, what he hated more was that Lyon and Sialeeds were having fun and he wasn't. Clouded in a thunderous cloud of envy, he decided to divert his attention away from the happy-go-lucky bunch and concentrated on his mission to inspect Lordlake. The ship was nearing its shores and Hero couldn't wait to finish the whole thing.

"We're nearing the shores of Lordlake. It's been awhile hasn't it, Lyon?" Hero said.

"It's been far too long; I wonder how's everyone doing?" Lyon replied, who has just recovered from her giggling.

Everyone just fell silent and enjoyed the sea breeze on the way to the beautiful Lordlake. Hero imagined Lordlake would be just the way it was Lyon and him left it many years ago.

Lush and beautiful it was not. By the time they reached the shore, Hero already had a bad feeling. Usually there would be evergreen fields and blooming wildflowers scattered everywhere on the ground, but what he saw was nothing but scorched earth and barren dirt. Not only Hero was shocked, the rest of the crew came out from the ship and started gasping in disbelief. What was once one of the most beautiful places in Falena was right before their eyes, but it was anything but beautiful.

"Is…is this Lordlake? One of the most beautiful towns in all of Falena?" Sialeeds' voice shook.

"I heard it was bad, but not this bad. What happened here?" Georg added.

Astounded, the four of them decided to ask more about the situation of Lordlake from the locals, who weren't looking too pleased at all at their arrival. Hero wanted to give a smile to one of them but he was quickly discouraged by the scornful look of one of the locals. As they walked on further into the barren town, an elderly figure walked towards them.

"Greetings your Royal Highness, welcome to uhh…Lordlake. I am Talgeyl. I'm somewhat of a representative of the people of Lordlake. As you can see, this town isn't what it was supposed to be two years. Nothing much is left here except for barren land and its bleary townsfolk. I'm afraid some of the people here will consider you as unwelcome guests but pay no attention to them. If there's anyone to be blamed for their attitude, it's me." The man called Talgeyl muttered in guilt.

The group decided to inspect the town further, meeting up the townspeople and observing their lifestyle. It was a hard thing to be done; no one in Lordlake wanted to have anything to do with the Royal family. The doctor named Silva was especially rude to them. At the far end of the town they found a huge and lavish house, though it seemed like there wasn't any inhabitants in it.

"This is Lord Rovere's Mansion…well it used to be." Sialeeds said.

"Rovere…it rings a bell. Wasn't his entire family executed? Didn't he rebel against the Royal family?" Georg said.

The group continued on without a single sound of expression. Nobody knew how to reply to Georg's words. There was an air of awkwardness surrounding the four of them. Thinking that it couldn't be worse, they searched and inspected the now deserted mansion of Rovere. Toppled bookshelves and broken vases scattered on the floor.

The search was brief but thorough. There wasn't much to survey around the deserted mansion anyways. The house had been pillaged, it was obviously shown through the broken locks and shattered trophy cases. A certain scent of decayed wood lingered, with a tint of orange. Hero took a deep breath and felt sick in the stomach. The scent left a bitter aftertaste in his mouth, so he decided to leave the hall for the balcony. Seeing the prince leave, Lyon soon followed along with the two adults.

As the doors were opened to the balcony, the looks on both of the youngsters quickly turned grim. Now they knew, why the town looked the way it is. The power of the sun showed its ugly side in this town. A power filled with glory and dignity and also be turned into a power bent on blind destruction. The withered plants, the dry carcasses and now a desert were the only thing they could see from the balcony to the horizon.

"Wasn't this…a river?" Lyon said, teary-eyed.

_Mother…did…did you do this? Why?_

"Mother…" Hero blurted out.

All eyes turned to the prince, who was staring blankly at the scorched earth which was once a river filled with activity and life. It was no mistake. Only the almighty Queen Arshtat of the Queendom of Falena could posess such power to decimate an entire town's source of water. The damage was grand and the aftermath was indescribable.

"Did the Queen do this?" Georg said, looking as shocked as the rest.

"I'm afraid so. They should've known better than to anger Arshtat." Sialeeds replied.

"She…doesn't really strike me as the type that would do this."

_What do you know about mother?_

"That is because you only known her recently. She used to be…a very good and kind queen. It's getting worse I'm afraid."

"Could it be because of the sun rune? Such power…it's too reckless."

_You don't know anything. You're nothing but an outsider._

Hero's fists curled up by themselves after hearing Georg made such comments. He couldn't believe an outsider could judge so much on the queen with such freedom. He turned his head slightly to take a look at Sialeeds, who was looking down in utter disappointment. He was angered further by her that even as her sister, Sialeeds won't say anything to defend his mother's dignity. One more, one more comment was all it took to make the prince blow up.

"I see…as far as I've known Arshtat…………" Georg continued before being interrupted by Hero.

"You don't know ANYTHING about my mother!" Hero screamed with his back facing the group. As much as he wanted to cry, he couldn't bear the thought of showing weakness in front of an impudent outsider who was so ignorant. His lip trembled and his fists were curled white. Very much on the verge of breaking down, he knew he had to leave to preserve what was left of his dignity. He bolted towards the door to the mansion hall. Lyon was stuck on her spot, unable to do anything. She hasn't seen the prince this angry before. It was unlike him to burst into overwhelming anger.

As the prince passed Georg, Georg tried to stop him by catching him by the shoulder. But before he could land his hand on him, Sialeeds snatched it with a firm grip and raised it in the air. She gave a comprehensive shake of her head. Georg, still confused, calmed down finally. He knew what Sialeeds meant.

After a few minutes of silence from the remaining three, Lyon finally mustered her strength to walk up to Georg.

"Georg…so that you know…It's not your fault." Lyon trembled under the pressure.

Georg responded in acceptance by slowly closing his eyelid. Georg didn't know what to feel. He wasn't getting any hostility or friendliness from Hero, so he couldn't judge his character enough to pick his choice of words in front of him. He wasn't the kind to carefully pick his words in the first place, but this time, he felt he should have. Just as the situation was getting more and more depressing, Sialeeds broke the silence.

"Lyon, I want you to follow my nephew. Lord knows where he might be now. Try to calm him down, will you? We'll settle everything else when we return to Sol-Falena."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Lyon dashed out of the mansion as quickly as the prince did previously. Meanwhile, Georg paced in and out of the balcony.

"Was it something I said? Well, I guess it's pretty obvious. What should I do?"

"It wasn't obvious in the first place. Frankly, I didn't pay much attention to him either. Don't put yourself in the spot, it isn't your fault. I guess he's just not used to another male figure in his life. You should've seen the time Kyle was introduced to him." Sialeeds explained.

"What happened?" Georg stopped pacing.

"He hid behind Ferid the whole time. That time Kyle wasn't interested in getting acquainted with someone of his own gender. You know how Kyle is. But after that, Hero didn't mind Kyle at all. Kyle was either out on missions or chasing women in town. I see how you tried to strike a conversation with him. It's tough, I know."

"I see. I should've known earlier. I wasn't trying to take over Ferid's position or anything like that. I just…wanted him to be more comfortable around me."

"I know. I know." Sialeeds sighed and shook her head.


	2. Chapter 2: I See Why Now

**Prime**

All Characters are owned by Konami. I own nothing absolutely NOTHING at all and I do not hope to gain any profit from this. Set in an Alternate Universe…Sort of.

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Chapter 2: I see why now**

Lyon stepped out of the mansion, a strong dust of wind and sand invited her out into the harsh town yet again. She started to have a bad feeling. The prince wasn't anywhere in sight, the town seemed to be painted in a strong hue of dirty yellow that everything and everyone blended very well together. Lyon tried to make out a familiar orange figure but it was too hard to see any difference in this monochromatic town. Her heart grew heavier with each step; she was the royal bodyguard of the prince. The one that was supposed to protect the prince with her life, yet he was nowhere to be seen and his life may very likely be in the balance.

Before long, Lyon spotted someone familiar. It wasn't the prince, but she was not about to completely lose hope. It was the town representative, Talgeyl, and a young man who appeared to be hot-headed. No time to think, she quickly rushed towards them.

"You're Talgeyl, aren't you? Have you seen the prince? Did he approach you? Did he leave the town?" Lyon blurted, without realizing the amount of franticness she expressed.

"Relax, young one. Yes, I did see the prince. However, he is not in this town anymore. He left through the back entrance to the forest. I regret to tell you that we as the townspeople could not stop him. He threatened us with harsh words." The weary representative spoke in guilt.

It almost seemed like they purposely let him go. Lyon could do nothing; after all, the Queen had forsaken them. Instead of brooding over such trivial thoughts, she scouted for the entrance to the woods. Without delay, she immediately started dashing towards it. Behind her, she could hear the barely audible mutterings of the two townsfolk.

"Are you sure it's safe for you to let her go in there by herself?" The young male spoke.

"I express neither malice nor concern for their safety. I have exhausted my faith." The old man expressed.

Preparing for the worse, she unsheathed her sword to get ready for anything that might come in her way of the prince. The townspeople had literally thrown the prince into a deathtrap. Without any prey, wild monsters will take anything that moves in sight. The desert was cruel but monsters won't bother if their next meal was the prince of Falena.

Without much searching, Lyon finally found Hero resting against a dead tree. Her heart skipped a beat thinking that all was well now that the prince was in sight. All she needed for relief was seeing the prince's face, whether they were moist with tears or not.

As Lyon was about to call out the prince's name from afar, she was caught by surprise. A towering shadow covered her. She felt warmth, other than that from the blazing sun. A man? Perhaps. But she was wrong; she heard a deep and strong breath from above her head. It was a monster and a huge one at that. Realizing there was no time to fear, she swung her sword by rotating her body, trying to deal damage to the behemoth's legs. As she turned around, she caught a glimpse at the monster.

It was an Ulse, a wolf-like creature rarely known to attack humans. However she couldn't take any chances, seeing the tremendous disadvantage she had if it were to attack her. And so it did. As Lyon was about to make her sword dig deep into the creature's flesh, one swing of its claws was all it took to fling her against the scorching floor. She hit the ground hard. Back at Falena, there wasn't any precautionary practice against Ulses because they weren't known to attack, hence she underestimated their strength. She regretted that as she fell into darkness on the ground, watching the Ulse approaching the emotionally damaged prince. She thought she had failed her duty as a bodyguard. Using her final ounce of strength, she called out to the prince with a raspy, weak voice. The darkness finally consumed her.

Hero jolted up on his bed. He felt a rush of emotions overwhelm him, awoken from a well-deserved rest from Lordlake. Gathering up his thoughts, he finally realized he was not in Lordlake, but in his comfy bed back home. He was home but he couldn't remember when. That was when it struck him. They were attacked.

The Ulse lumbered forward. With a mighty raise of its arm, it prepared a blow to the prince, who had only just realized the creature's presence. It was too late, the arm swung down on him. Just then, he heard a ring of metal, a ring of a sword. A black shadow thundered across the space between him and the Ulse. The Ulse, which clearly had an easy shot to kill the prince, fell back one step and slowly on its back. It was dead, but who killed it? Who had possessed such a power to defeat this beast? A plethora of questions invaded his mind and not before long the prince's world started to spin like a top. Like his bodyguard, he was about to surrender to darkness. He scouted the surroundings quickly for the figure that saved him. He was reciprocated by a warm figure that embraced him. He heard a few words before he finally gave in to the darkness.

"Don't worry. You're safe now."

_He……saved me?_

"Georg." Hero muttered unconsciously. He realized the man that made him cry also saved his life. Shocked by his own words, he softly touched his mouth that muttered those words. Even after shouting at him and harboring all those malice towards him, he saved his life. The man who Hero thought had invaded his life and wrecked his happiness saved his life without hatred, without harboring the same feelings towards him. Confused, Hero rushed out of bed and headed straight out for the knights' room. He needed to know. He wanted to know where he was, where Georg was. The man that his father brought in was the only thing on his mind right now.

While deep in thought, Hero quickened the pace to the knights' room. Without realizing it, ahead of him was his trusty bodyguard. With a head-on collision, Hero absent-mindedly bumped into Lyon. Startled by the crash, Hero let out a huge gasp which echoed throughout the corridor.

"Your Highness! Are you okay? I'm sorry for bumping into you. I tried to call you but you were too immersed in something else. What's bothering you? You haven't recovered from the trip right? Why are you out of bed?" Lyon, being Lyon, bombarded the prince with a long string of concern.

"I'm…okay now. I'm sorry, Lyon, I need to go see someone now." Hero spoke without putting too much thought into what he was saying.

"Then…why don't I follow you?"

"Al…right then."

Hero dashed forward, leaving the oblivious Lyon behind. He was such in deep thought anything outside his mind did not matter at all. Lyon hurried to keep up with his pace. They dashed down the stairs, across the corridor of the knights' room. Lyon ran ahead of him to open up the door for him. Inside were all members of the Queen's Knights, but before Hero could spot Georg, a petite figure rushed into his arms.

"Brother! Are you all right? We were so worried about you!" Lymsleia, slightly agitated, began to whine to her beloved brother. The whole room seemed to be filled with a high-pitched droning. The princess' bodyguard soon put a stop to it.

"Princess! Calm down, your brother is fine isn't he? Why don't we go to class like a nice little girl now? I'm sure you can catch with him later."

Hero gave his sister and Miakis, her bodyguard, a broad smile coaxing her to follow Miakis' orders. Reluctantly, the tiny girl let her tight grip around Hero slowly. The prince, slightly shocked, began to ease up slowly. In the background, the droning was fading away behind the door. Like a bolt of lightning, he suddenly remembered why he was here in the first place.

_Where is he?_

Without him noticing, a familiar figure overshadowed him. He slowly lifted his head and there he was; the calm yet rugged exterior of a man who saved his life. Completing his objective, Hero couldn't help but blush. His ears started to burn up and his heart tried to escape through his mouth. Georg was so close to Hero that it was almost as if the prince was able to take in his exuding aura.

"That little sister of yours may be a pain, but she does dote on you. How are you feeling now?" Georg spoke.

A million and one thoughts raced through the prince's mind. He didn't know what to answer. He didn't know what was on Georg's mind, or rather, what was on his own mind. Hero was confused. Confused, he searched for a reason in the depths of his mind. He was angry at Georg before, because he had always been when another male entered his life. He didn't want anyone to fill the space of his beloved father, a man of inspirations, a man of confidence and power. Before, only one male figure would be allowed to be in his life.

_I could try._

"I'm fine, thanks."

Somewhere on his otherwise cold face sprouted a gleaming smile.


	3. Chapter 3: As I Feel, You Feel

**Prime**

All Characters are owned by Konami. I own nothing absolutely NOTHING at all and I do not hope to gain any profit from this. Set in an Alternate Universe…Sort of.

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Chapter 3: As I feel, you feel**

"I wish for you to proceed to Stormfist and supervise the preparations for the Sacred Games." Arshtat, the wise Queen and mother of Hero asked.

"I wish for both of you, Georg and Sialeeds, to accompany these two. They will require your help."

"I guess I wouldn't mind babysitting if it's my dear nephew." Sialeeds shrugged.

Last night had been a bumpy night. Thoughts seemed to rush through Hero's mind like lightning, giving him little or no sleep at all. Thinking about the new door he opened, he was contemplating what step he should do next. He was also considering the possible consequences, if there was any in the first place. These questions roared through his mind for what seemed like forever, while he was staring at the dark ceiling above him. Somehow after knowing Georg was joining him to the trip to Stormfist made his heart cheat a jump.

The feeling of excitement, the feeling of not knowing what to expect filled him inside-out as he boarded the ship scheduled for Stormfist first. Lyon followed closely behind while the two adults trailed behind chatting away. The signal was given and the ship departed.

This scenario was very familiar. Hero gave a slight thought before comparing it to the trip to Lordlake. But now his opinion of the older man has shifted to the other side of the spectrum. It was almost as if someone used a charm rune on him. He walked over to Lyon's side at the edge of the ship, letting the ocean breeze sooth him.

"Someone's feeling mighty fine today. I guess you must be excited to see the candidates for your dear sister, right?"

"Uhh…Yeah I guess so." Hero, completely oblivious to Lyon's assumption, blindly agreed. Little did he know he was wearing a bright smile the whole time, although weird, it made Lyon's heart at ease.

"Why did my dear sister ask me to accompany Hero? He should old enough to supervise the grounds. Right, Hero?" Sialeeds asked. Still completely oblivious, Hero widened his smile and gave a responding nod.

"Arshtat probably was worried about their safety, it being Godwin territory they are treading on. Better be safe than sorry. Besides, if there's anyone to protect the prince, it should be me." Walking up to the prince, Georg patted his head. Like a magnet, it was almost as if all the blood in his body rushed up to his head upon contact with the large hand that so affectionately touched him. Hero's face flushed beet red, but before anyone could realize, Sialeeds rebutted Georg.

"Oh please, we have Lyon for that. And don't be full of yourself; it makes me cringe."

Sialeeds' witty comment triggered a roaring wave of laughter between the four of them. In the midst of laughter, Hero caught sight of a tint of blush in Georg's face.

The next few days were like hell for Hero and Lyon. Neither of them had a good ride to Stormfist, something they never experienced on the way to Lordlake. Just as they thought it could not get any worse, the ship was hit by another huge wave. The sea breeze did not help much either.

"I think I just tasted last week's lunch." Lyon stopped to speak between her regurgitation.

It was early in the morning and Sialeeds was still in deep slumber, just as always. The rest of the crew had not had any sleep since the beginning of the trip to make sure the royal entourage was having a safe trip all the way to Stormfist. The prince felt a tad guilty for them, but it was their job after all. Hero, still with an upset stomach, staggered to the door of the cabin, which seemed to be miles away from where he was now. With every step he took, he felt as if his stomach told him to stay near the edge, making his steps feel like a rock on water. He couldn't ask Lyon to help him, since she was in the exact same situation as him.

The ship continued to rock, even though on the calm seas. Somehow Hero thought it did not feel right. Calm seas yet a rocky ship, something was definitely wrong. Everyone would probably tell him it was his imagination, given his current state. He turned back to see Lyon.

"Don't you think the boat's moving a bit too much?"

"What do you mean? I don't feel any……" Before Lyon could finish, she was yet again interrupted by the rumbling of her stomach. Hero gave a long and deep sigh of pity for his bodyguard.

Then, just like lightning, two unknown objects sprang out of the water. They were huge, but neither of them could see them clearly. The objects landed on the ship with a giant thud and it was clear to both the prince and his bodyguard. They were Zadoms, two of them and they were not dropping by to say hello. It was clear these creatures were eyeing on the two of them, with a gaze of hunger. They were slimy and pink, along with the unsightly texture of their skin came along a disturbing stench of a fish out of water. Neither of them had any strength left to fight against these giant lizards.

_Help._

"What all these noise? I'm trying to get some sleep here! Wha…AHH!" Sialeeds stood frozen at the cabin door. Her phobia of lizards was well-known around the palace grounds and the nobles knew better than to refer anything close to lizards around her. Her shriek was deafening and it even alerted some of the crewmates to act on the threat to the prince and his bodyguard.

_Where the hell are you?_

To answer Sialeeds' shriek, the lizards returned with a shriek of their own. The sound was spine chilling and it gave a certain aura of death. They were certain they could defeat it, but it was impossible now. One of the lizards made an advance towards the two youngsters, with every step responded with a disgusting slosh to the wooden floor.

_I…_

Pinned to the floor, Hero could do only one thing and that was to pray. Pray that someone, anyone, would come to save him and Lyon.

…_need you._

That was when déjà vu struck him yet again. A blinding shade of black barricaded him from the creatures and before he knew it, the two Zadoms were dead on the floor with fatal slashes to their cream-white stomachs. It was no question who did it, he prayed for anyone, but he came. Tears welled up in his eyes so quickly it blurred his vision of his savior. Like a triggered effect, he moved forward, desperately trying to catch hold of the only thing that mattered to him at that point of time.

_I need you now._

Like a dream sequence, everything else around him did not seem to matter anymore. But as he began to raise his hands to embrace the one that mattered to him, he heard a familiar cry that snapped him out into reality. It was Lyon, who was wailing uncontrollably. Like him, she had been praying and hoping that someone would come to save the both of them and she was visibly relieved and overwhelmed with emotions. Hero pinpointed his blurred vision to her face, which display a whole range of emotions. He trailed his eyes down her neck slowly where he finally stopped at her shoulders. His eyes shot wide open as he finally understood the situation. Wrapped like vines to the fence, Lyon embraced Georg ever so tightly, sobbing so painfully. Hero's arms found their way back to the sides of his body discreetly as the tears finally gave way. At a distance, he could see the man whispering comforting words to the petite girl.

_Perhaps she needs him more now._

In the background Sialeeds was recovering from the shock she had just received. Clinging on to the sides of the door, she was fanning herself vigorously, keeping herself calm. It was only after a moment of realization that she found Hero standing by himself crying, as if crying to someone. When both of their eyes finally met, Sialeeds gave the only thing she could give at that moment, a look that pierced deep into his mind. She gave a concerned frown, perhaps more of a look of pity. Hero responded with a forced smile to hide away the pain.

_I'm ok, really._


	4. Chapter 4: To Realize

**Prime**

All Characters are owned by Konami. I own nothing absolutely NOTHING at all and I do not hope to gain any profit from this. Set in an Alternate Universe…Sort of. Hero's name from here onwards will be referred to as "Sol".

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Chapter 4: To Realize**

"He's too predictable, too predictable for his own good." Sialeeds muttered under her breath. Being an aunt took a certain amount of skill to understand her nephew. She had that and much more. The prince was alone for the longest time. Although his parents doted on him and his sister, he had always felt inferior in the family. He was, after all, a prince in a Queendom. Along the corridors Sialeeds had a habit of eavesdropping on the passing nobles, and more than she liked to, she would hear small chatters of the redundancy of a male offspring in the royal family. It hurt her to hear this, but she knew her pain could only be in the shadow of her nephew's pain.

The prince relied on his father for support and love. He was the major part of his life. Whenever a foreign leader or a relative sneered at the fact there was a royal male other than Ferid himself, his father would defend him, even if it means at the risk of developing bad relations with the others. To Sol, no one could ever replace Ferid.

Unknown to Sialeeds, Sol was feeling alone, but in a different way. As he got off the ship, he walked ahead of everyone else not waiting for anyone. He was in his own world of thoughts. As he continued on down the wobbly plank to land, he did not take notice of the width of the plank, which was too small for any freedom of movement. The prince took a step outside the plank into the water and began to fall. It jolted him, but at the same time it sent him in a dream state.

_Are you going to save me this time?_

A hand reached out to grab him. It was a hand of someone close, but not the person he wanted it to be. It was Sialeeds, for she was watching him the entire time. Sialeeds pulled Sol out and both of them stumbled onto land.

"Now that wasn't a very royal entrance, wasn't it?" Sialeeds tried to liven up the atmosphere by cracking a joke.

"I'm…I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention. I guess you're right." Sol forced a crude smile, something Sialeeds instantly saw right through. The crew made nonchalant glances, while Georg and Lyon, behind the nephew and aunt, were looking from behind. Sialeeds squat a tiny bit to level her with the prince and stared at him straight in the eye. He was not enjoying the attention.

"You don't look okay; you want to talk about it?"

"I'm fine really."

"I'm not too sure about that. I'll talk to you later and you're going to spill everything you, you hear me?"

"Whatever."

Sol broke the gaze and continued on. Right about a few steps after, he saw that someone was coming down from the steps above. It was the Godwin's Father and Son.

"I see…what a pleasure for his royal highness to come inspect the grounds of his darling sister's selection for her groom. I welcome you to Stormfist. It has been awhile, has it not? Ah yes Sialeeds, I see that you are still as radiant as ever." Gizel Godwin muttered a whole string of utter nonsense. Georg rolled his eyes but neither of the Godwins took notice of his disrespect for the two. Lyon took a step in front of Sol but neither of the Godwins seemed to bother.

"Yes it has been awhile. I trust you will be giving us a tour?" Sialeeds raised an eyebrow.

"Why yes of course. Father, you can go ahead with the arrangements, I can give them the grand tour myself." Gizel told his father. His father gave an approving stare and left without a word. The touring group then proceeded off into the coliseum.

"I'm sorry my father left in a hurry. Recently there has been a large amount of disturbances in the neighboring seas. I trust you have not encountered the savage lizards that plague the seas of Stormfist?" Gizel spoke as he led them around the coliseum. He looked back, as though expecting a negative answer from them.

"Yes, in fact we did encountered quite a few. It wasn't a pretty sight." Sialeeds shivered in fear. Gizel stopped and made an expression that seemed like a forced shock.

"I give you my deepest of apologies; we are investigating into this matter very seriously. I can see your royal highness and her nephew hasn't been injured and I'm deeply relieved." Gizel stopped a bit and turned around. Sol did not notice Gizel's sudden halt and bumped into him. Whether it was intentional or not, it was very clear to everyone else. Gizel lifted his right hand and began to pat the prince's head. The prince, still deep in thought, was given no time to respond to his warm gesture and blushed unconsciously.

_Am I so easily deceived?_

At the corner of his eye, Sol saw Georg made a move while everyone was in their spot. He did not care what Georg was going to do, Sol promptly answered Gizel. He also heard Lyon made a step, but at that time all he focused on was Georg.

"Thank you for your concern. I'm fine." Sol gave a smile but this time he did not force it out, although what he felt was not genuine happiness but more of a deliberate charade.

Georg stopped in his tracks.

_You can't lead me on anymore._

After the brief interruption, the group continued on without a word from anyone other than Gizel explaining the history and introducing the places of Stormfist and the coliseum. The atmosphere was far too heavy and even Gizel started to notice. They walked along the side of the coliseum, where they could view the ocean. The smell of the ocean breeze was comforting to Sol, but to the rest, it was more of an atmosphere of uncertainty. Sialeeds, behind Sol, made frequent looks at Georg to express her mutual discomfort in the current situation. It was clear on their minds; Gizel Godwin was on to something.

Just as they were passing one of the windows along the coliseum walls, the group caught a glimpse of the famous Dragon Knights. Lyon remembered how Sol wanted to pay a visit to their training camp and decided to remind him.

"Prince! These are the legendary Dragon Knights! Didn't you say you wanted to watch them in action? Lord Godwin can we…" Just as Lyon was about to finish her sentence, Sol turned his back on her.

"No, let's continue on."

Shocked, Lyon froze for awhile before accepting the prince's answer. She gave a disappointing look under her breath as she watched Gizel and the prince walk away. From her back, she could hear Sialeeds giving a sigh of relief as she hated lizards. Georg patted her shoulder for assurance just like back in Lordlake, but this time the roles were reversed. Lyon paced herself closely behind Sol. She was blinded by thoughts of how she had made the prince mad at her.

"I'm afraid this is the end of our little tour around the coliseum. My servants will direct you to your rooms. Now if you will excuse me." Gizel excused himself and snapped his fingers at his servants, who were already at his side preparing to take over.

Lyon was ushered first. Reluctantly, she followed the servant, giving repeated glances at the prince, who hung his head low. Lyon's mind was in a mess. What could she have done to make the prince so sad? Did she act correctly in front of him? She made so many guesses, but she could not pinpoint the correct answer. Not that she did not try hard enough but because anyone else would not have guessed it correctly either.

Next up was the prince, who was feeling down as usual. He blindly followed the servant who also noticed the dampening mood of the prince. Everyone was concerned about him, yet no one knew the correct way to approach him. Before entering the room, he caught a slight glance of Georg looking at him. Somehow a stare from him did not affect him that much compared to what it represented a few days ago.

Sialeeds used her hand to lead Georg into his room, following straight in after. He was the only one she could talk to at the moment. Both of them knew what the other wanted to say as they slowly sat on the couches, sitting face to face.

"I'm sure you pretty much sensed it. Gizel's up to something." Sialeeds started.

"Something is an understatement. He's trying to gain favor from Sol. He smiles, he flatters and he pats the prince on the head. Sialeeds you were right beside him when it happened. Why didn't you stop him?" Georg answered.

"There's nothing wrong with that. Moreover I'm more concerned with Gizel himself. What else could he possibly do? I bet it was him who released the Zadoms, what a liar. What an actor!"

"We were asked to accompany them for a reason. Next time he touches the prince, I swear I'm going to leave a mark on his ridiculous face."

"Why are you so uptight about a simple pat on the head? I didn't know you were so sensitive to touching. Yes, we were told to accompany the two and it gave us an excuse to keep an eye on Gizel and his intentions."

"What sensitive? Me? Never in a million years would I…"

"Ok I get your point. I have to go speak to Sol too. If you weren't so troubled about a little body contact you would realize my nephew is not himself. It's time for a little pep-talk from his aunt."

Georg stood up and walked Sialeeds out his quarters. Getting all charged up and ready, Sialeeds stormed to Sol's room. As she went nearer to his room, she stopped suddenly. Her eyes gave away her feeling of pity. She turned away from his room as the sound of sadness echoed in her brain. The prince was in his bed, crying his feelings away. Sialeeds gave a deep sigh that made some of the maids jump.

"Is it that hard for you to open up?" Sialeeds turned the door knob slowly with guilt of not being able to communicate with her nephew and retired in her room.

_I'm not ok, really._

**I guess I really should add a leaving message after every chapter XD. How was this chapter? This one has quite a number of dialogues. And if you've noticed, I introduced a possible love rival for this lovely pairing. As for Lyon, I know quite a number of people have pointed her as being a tad bit out of character. I'll try my best on that, I promise!**


	5. Chapter 5: I'm On My Own Now

**Prime**

All Characters are owned by Konami. I own nothing absolutely NOTHING at all and I do not hope to gain any profit from this. Set in an Alternate Universe…Sort of. Sol's name from here onwards will be referred to as "Sol".

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Chapter 5: I'm on my own now**

Sol's eyes opened up only to be welcomed by the brilliant sun rays that fill his abode. He was not a person of many words, the only person he truly could talk was himself and frankly it was getting sickening talking to himself in his head. Having thought over about the events the day before, he realized how much he had officially spoiled the trip for everyone. As he began to stretch out of bed, the feeling regret and guilt crept up to his toes. For one, Lyon was always the target of his emotional abuse. This time, it wasn't any different from any other time. It simple wasn't her fault. He wished he let her see the Dragon Knights, if only there was a time rune.

_I'm sorry._

Just then, a knock on the door was heard. Sol guessed it might be Sialeeds, who as usual, would be worried about him. He prepared an irritated look as he turned the knob swiftly.

As the door swung open, his irritated eyes locked on to a pair of doe eyes that were filled with sadness. It was Lyon and her face was sunken visibly. She did not have any sleep the night before; the prince's answer was clouding her mind and preventing her from having a peaceful sleep. This made Sol even guiltier.

"Um…prince? I'm very sorry I made you angry yesterday. I didn't mean to force you to see the Dragon Knights. I'm really sorry. If there's any way I could punish myself for that, I'm…I'm…willing to do anything."

"You could start smiling for me." Sol's irritated glance soon turned into a more cheerful expression. It felt so much easier being happy than sulking the whole time. He felt a huge amount of release as Lyon smiled together with him. Somehow it was always the case when the prince got angry. Lyon would always come knocking to his room first thing in the morning apologizing, ever since the time the prince got jealous with Lyon on her birthday celebration when she was getting all the attention when they were kids. In the end, the two will always patch up.

It seems like Lyon had it all planned after all. Without warning, she snatched his arm and pulled it out of the room. Deep in her heart, she knew the prince wasn't such a bad guy after all.

"Prince! Let's go out exploring the town, shall we?"

"That's sounds like a great idea. One problem; you forgot to let me change." Lyon blushed as she finally realized the prince's attire was his sleeping garment. Though perfectly elegant and pleasing to the eye, it definitely was not what Sol wanted to go out with. The two youngsters slowly paced themselves back to his room. While they were walking, Lyon walked a little closer to him, whispering a secret to the prince.

"Prince, was there anyone you truly admired? Someone you really like?" Lyon dipped her head low in embarrassment.

"Yes, of course. The almighty Commander of the Queen's Knights, my dear father. I don't know about the "like" part though. Why do you ask? Is there someone you like?"

"Well…it's Georg."

"Oh…I see." Sol stopped in his tracks, very near to the door of his room. His brilliant smile faded gradually. As he turned the door knob, he thought of _that _man. He thought of the man that he too admired who wore that smile that warmed his heart. As he started to change into his casual attire, he started to think.

_Can I trust my feelings?_

Sol hated himself for giving in so easily to his feelings for Georg. It was, after all, in the course of only a few days. These feelings to Georg were probably nothing but mild friendliness towards him. He hated so much that he delved into the tiniest things so easily, every movement, every gesture, he had taken into account. Even the way Georg smiled apparently bothered him too. He needed to put his act up together, no longer there was anyone to run to when there was a problem. As he turned the door knob once again, he promised himself and to everyone around him.

_I'm on my own now._

"I'm ready now. Now where shall we go first?"

"There's this bazaar outside the coliseum. Apparently they're selling a whole lot of exotic goods from the Island Nations. Of course prince if you have somewhere else to go…" Lyon's voice trailed off as she waited for Sol's response.

"The bazaar sounds nice. Let's go."

Lyon's worried face quickly turned into relief as the words from Sol's mouth reached her ears. Lyon usually blamed herself for whatever happened to the prince and she would do anything to make him happy, but as always he would never let her do anything. A "sorry" was all Sol needed to be happy again.

The sun was shining ever so brightly outside the coliseum and soon the two youngsters were bathed in its warmth. The bustling atmosphere in front of them was so full of life and it made both of them ecstatic. Jeweled pottery, dazzling necklaces and even more exotic goods scattered the floor and the many tents of the bazaar. In the midst of the crowded surroundings, Sol spotted a familiar figure.

"Georg! I didn't know you liked bazaars too!"

"I could say the same for you. Ahh…I see the prince is up and about. You guys enjoying the atmosphere?" Georg tried hard to ease up the awkwardness that might have remained after the events the day before. He was standing in front of a stall selling all sorts of jewelry. Beforehand, Sol had already spotted him buying a necklace from the stall. Before he knew it, Georg walked closer to him.

"Umm…I bought this for you." In his hand was a simple necklace with a tiny pendant. It was bright amber as it gleamed in the brilliant sun. The lace was a sturdy piece of leather, striped with a deep red cloth of some sort. Although fairly plain and uninteresting, this was the first ever gift from the man. As Georg reached out his hand to Sol, his face turned away in embarrassment. As Sol contemplated his actions, Georg promptly withdrew his arm.

"If you don't like it, then it's ok with me."

Sol smiled as he looked at Georg's flustered expression. As promptly as Georg withdrew his arm, Sol did exactly the opposite and reached out for his arm and pulled it. He then directed his hands to Georg's hand, which he held the necklace in one hand and cupped Georg's hand in the other.

"Well…thanks." Sol gave him a wide smile which made Georg scratched his head in further embarrassment.

"Wow prince. It looks nice! Let me put it on for you." Lyon turned Sol around and helped him with his necklace, which he promptly tucked it in his clothes. The cold jewel sent chills down his spine. He, like Georg, was equally embarrassed but he was more skilled in hiding it. However one thing he could not hide was the smile that was on his face that seemed impossible to fade away.

"Hey Georg, do I get anything?" Lyon asked inquisitively.

"Of course you do. But I have yet to find anything that suits you. Why don't we go into town and check out the stuff there?"

"Sounds like a good idea. What do you say, prince?"

Sol nodded to both Georg and Lyon and they headed for the bridge that connected the coliseum to the main town area. As they walked, Sol held the area where the jewel rested tightly. Unlike the big presents and extravagant gifts that he received during his birthday parties year after year, he felt that this tiny little simple gift could be more sincerity than all of them combined.

Like the bazaar, the town was bustling with life. Every corner was either with people talking or walking, it was hard to find a quiet spot in Stromfist at this time. Every now and then the group would stop to see the various street performances that cluttered the side of buildings. One particularly interesting performance was by a girl around Lyon's age and an unknown animal. The girl claimed that the animal can understand the human language and demonstrated by giving it a set of mathematical problems. True enough, it solved all the problems without any difficulty.

As the sun was about to set, the streets became visibly quieter. The group decided to end their exploring by walking through the alleyway that they have not explored yet. As they were walking, Sol noticed Lyon's and Georg's movements were beginning to be quick and shifty. As he tried to turn his head around, he was stopped by Georg's large hand which forced him to look in front.

"Be careful, prince. Now as we reach the curve, I want you to turn right. I'm afraid we're being followed." Lyon instructed Sol. He gave a nod and started to walk towards the bend. Georg was slightly trailing behind the two as he prepared to confront the stalker. As the stalker was at an approachable distance, both Lyon and Georg glanced at each other for the chance to strike down on the stalker. Almost like ballet, Georg swung both his body and his unsheathed sword towards the stalker while the nimble Lyon swiftly moved to a position which made the stalker unable to retaliate without being hurt by the two skillful knights. As expected, the stalker was overwhelmed by the strike and fell on his back, scrambling to get away from the swords.

"Ahh…Don't kill me! I just wanted…wanted to see the prince!"

As it turned out, the stalked was just a youngster, the age roughly about Sol's. He had blonde hair and tanned skin. He was covered in a cloak, which was now thrown to the floor due to his fall.

"What business do you have with the prince?" Georg questioned the boy with an obvious fit of anger. Apparently he was reminded by the incident between Gizel and Sol the day before.

"My…my name's Shoon. I'm…I'm a gladiator for the Sacred Games. I heard the prince was here and I wanted to see him. Someone is trying to sabotage the games and I didn't know who else to go to."

**I finally decided to change the prince's name to Sol, which was what I called him in the game. KYA the necklace idea was so sudden but I'm proud of it LOL. Guess I will be stuck in Stormfist for a couple or more chapters. I'm taking everyone's advice seriously so don't hesitate to give your opinions, just don't blindly flame me **


	6. Chapter 6: To Protect I

**Prime**

All Characters are owned by Konami. I own nothing absolutely NOTHING at all and I do not hope to gain any profit from this. Set in an Alternate Universe…Sort of. Sol's name from here onwards will be referred to as "Sol".

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Chapter 6: To Protect I**

Apparently this character called Shoon was a gladiator for a wealthy aristocrat. From his movements, his gesture, it was clear that he is a very energetic individual. He was right around the prince's age, yet forced into becoming a gladiator. His freckles enunciated his innocence. Yet, it still made Georg cautious of his intentions.

"You could've just requested for an audience. There's no need to follow the prince around like that."

"They don't give gladiators the right." Shoon dipped his head low. He was miserable and he was quite good in portraying that, or maybe he was all along.

"You see how they treat people like us here. But, I'm not here to beg for freedom. I'm here to beg you to listen to me."

"Alright, that's the least I can do for you." Sol heard about the gladiators from his mother. Besides, Ferid was once a gladiator too. They were kept in cells, about a dozen to one before the games began. Gladiators were nothing more than slaves that could fight. Among the many bedtime stories Ferid told him when he was little the one that always left him sleeping with a bitter aftertaste was the stories about Ferid's life before he was commander of the Queen's Knights, his life as a gladiator.

The young gladiator explained the situation. Apparently he heard voices in the cell he was in and they were speaking in a strange accent. He mentioned the words "Armes" and "Plan" constantly, which made the group uneasy. The ties between the two countries were always on a tight rope but recently there have been talks about a peace treaty. Lymsleia's ceremony was in apparent danger, but they could not be sure until they checked it out themselves. Georg pulled Sol to one side and whispered in his ear.

"Prince, I don't trust this boy. But, it is your choice whether to believe him or not. I can only follow and protect you." Lyon turned to the pair and nodded in agreement. Sol had already made up his mind. If there was any plan to kill him or to kidnap him, doing it now would be a terrible mistake. He gave no second thought to the decision.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to check things out."

Shoon led the trio down the sewers where he got out from the cell. It was dark and dank, much like any other sewer. The monsters there were surprisingly plentiful, considering the fact that no one in Stormfist knew about the place. Everyone fought hard for the next hour as they traveled through. Sol had a couple of near-hits, but somehow Lyon always seemed to be there just in time. Although he was a prince, Sol never excluded himself from the battles that his bodyguards fought. He did not want to be a burden.

As they were walking around a corner, they encountered a couple more snails. They have been fighting against these abnormally large creatures for some time now and no one had a problem slaying them. Georg took a swift step and a slash which took down one of the snails quickly. Next was Lyon, who came charging towards the snail. It was clear that it was heavily damaged. Sol saw this and decided to take some action, he too charged against the weakened snail to deliver the finishing blow. Something was amiss but Sol did not notice. Apparently the snail appeared weakened but it was actually preparing for an attack. The prince, so full of intent, did not have time to dodge its attacks and looked right straight at the extending head of the creature. He knew he wasn't in extreme danger but he couldn't help letting out a cry.

As the creature's head was about to hit the prince, it too let out a cry. The snail shriveled up and retracted its head back into its shell and lay in the spot motionless. Apparently it had taken a hit while it was not noticing. Recovering from the shock, Sol turned his head away from the carcass and saw the assailant. It was Shoon who saved the day. He walked towards to prince to make sure he was alright.

"Prince, are you alright? That snail was a tricky one there, normally they…" As he neared Sol, he was cut off from him by a larger figure.

"That's as far as you can go." Georg, still with suspicion, blocked Shoon away from Sol. He gave a petrifying stare which the younger boy understood almost immediately. Shoon was harmless, but Georg thought otherwise.

"But…but…" Shoon trembled under the pressure from Georg that almost flattened him.

"It's…its okay Georg. Let's move on." Sol was a bit surprised. He felt Shoon wasn't such a threat although the trio knew next to nothing about him. If it was anyone to be over-reacting, it would most definitely be Lyon. He always had the impression that Georg had more of a laid-back character. Usually, Sol would have given more thought about this, but he decided to not dwell on the less important things.

The rest of the journey was shorter than expected. Soon they reached the cell where Shoon came from. It was almost the same as the sewers. Dirty, dank and it even had a mild stench of blood. The atmosphere and the smell made Sol sick in the stomach as he was not accustomed to such an environment. What made him even sicker was the fact that nobles were using these people for their own perverse entertainment. Shoon directed the trio to the other side of the cell. The rest of the gladiators were all giving them rude and piercing stares, but as soon as they saw Shoon with them, they calmed down a little. Despite his competence in the coliseum, Shoon was a well-known gladiator that had an innocent heart who couldn't bear any malice, so it was natural to think the company he had was as harmless as him.

Sure enough, the voices that Shoon mentioned were heard. They were muffled, but with a closer listening from Georg cleared things up. There were roughly about five men, who were definitely speaking in an armish accent. Georg wasted no time busting through the frail walls which separated the armes spies and the trio. On the other side were five men dressed in casual armish garments, covering their faces with clothes draped around their necks. However, there was one individual that stood out from the five men. He was tall and had a dark tan. He was clad in exquisite gladiator clothes, though only dressed around the shoulders and waist. The marks on his face indicated he was a gladiator. More anxious about the gladiator, Georg began to unsheathe his sword but stopped as he heard a whimper from behind.

"Ze…Zegai? Why…why are you here? Are you with them? Are…are you from Armes?" Shoon voice shook with fear. He went down on his knees from the disbelief of his acquaintance that had apparently been in cahoots with the armish spies. Their relationship was questionable, but this was not on everyone's minds as they started to pursue the running spies. Surprisingly, the tall gladiator did not budge. Sol was the last to react against the escapees and he briefly heard the tall gladiator talking with Shoon.

"Don't worry. I won't run away."

In the midst of pursuing the spies, Georg suddenly turned his back.

"Don't follow me; I can take care of them myself. Tell the others about the spies."

Lyon gave a strong nod and yanked Sol's hand in the other direction, which he promptly followed her back out of the cell.

**This chapter I admit is a tad bit boring. This was more of a transitional chapter to the more exciting events in Stormfist where we get to see more of Gizel. A short chapter, but I will promise more development of their relationship next chapter! I'm so so so so sorry for the extra long hiatus; I was busy with school and exams.**


	7. Chapter 7: To Protect II

**Prime**

All Characters are owned by Konami. I own nothing absolutely NOTHING at all and I do not hope to gain any profit from this. Set in an Alternate Universe…Sort of. Sol's name from here onwards will be referred to as "Sol".

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Chapter 7: To Protect II**

As both Lyon and the prince reached the end of the pathway, they heard a familiar voice. It was Gizel Godwin and surprisingly Sialeeds was with him. She was flustered and sweating profusely in the dungeon while fanning her body with a visibly agitated look. Gizel, on the other hand, had the same old face that he had a habit of showing. A calm and collected look, yet it seemed like he was using this as a cover for his true emotions. Once the two youngsters were visible to the other two adults, Sialeeds stopped fanning and walked towards Sol.

"Dear Lord, Sol! I was so worried about you three when I couldn't find you. Gizel was kind enough to offer his assistance to help me find you guys and look where we found you! In this…ugh…place." Sialeeds looked as though she saw a lizard. Surely this wasn't a place a royal would normally be at. Sol smiled at Sialeeds as she made a fool of herself whining about the conditions of the place.

"I heard from a report that Armes spies have been subdued by a subordinate of yours, a bodyguard. In fact, he helped us a great deal by tying the spies up. I'm afraid I do not have any information of his whereabouts. More importantly, I trust that His Majesty is unharmed?" Gizel also advanced towards Sol after Sialeeds. Like before, Gizel gently raised the prince's chin up so that their heads would face each other. Sol's face was unbelievably close to Gizel's face it was almost they were about to kiss. Sol felt the older man's breath brush his face ever so gently it made his spine tingle. But just before any other advancement was made, Sol felt his arm yanked again by someone.

"Thank goodness you're safe. I don't know what I'd do if you were hurt. Arshtat would probably bake her own sister! Lyon, next time please try to stop him from going for any wacky adventures. Well…at least I can credit you for ensuring his safety." Sialeeds gave Lyon a stare, which in turn was reciprocated with another approving stare from the younger female. Sialeeds remember what she was here for and she wasn't about to let Gizel have his way so easily. Lyon, though slightly confused, had a rough understanding of the situation. Gizel gave the trio a shrug and a smile, which deeply disturbed Lyon.

The Sacred Games were about to start and Georg was nowhere to be seen. None of them had bothered to organize search parties as they knew Georg was capable of finding his way back, though the distance wasn't far. Still, Sol couldn't help but worry about the older man. He had that and other more important things to dwell about, including his duel with Shoon, commencing the Sacred Games. It was his first official duel and everybody would be watching him. He pondered for a moment, wondering if he was there to watch him.

He stood right outside the entrance to the middle of the coliseum, awaiting his duel with the younger boy. Sure the boy was younger and smaller, but he definitely wasn't a pushover. Sol saw how Shoon managed to take out several monsters in the sewers at one time by his own. This apparently, saved the group many times from unnecessary harm. All tensed up and ready to begin, Sol felt a pair of large but graceful hands being planted on his shoulders.

"I expect no less than a splendid victory from the prince of Falena. I look forward to congratulating you."

It was Gizel. The older man always seemed so warm and welcoming towards Sol. A handshake, a pat on the head, it all seemed more pronounced when Gizel was doing it to the prince. Sol could sense his actions but he could not decipher his intentions. Everything Gizel had done so far Sol had no qualms about accepting it readily and he actually started to like the attention the older man was giving him. It was naïve, yes, but he was contented.

Before he knew it, the duel had already begun. Blood rushed through every part of Sol's body as he thought about the thousands of people awaiting the arrival of the prince and his opponent. People were skeptical about his abilities and they had no reservations about showing it off. Sol's pair of eyes looked at the crowd and a thousand eyes looked back. The pressure was intense for the prince as he struggled to maintain his composure and confidence.

The duel ended far earlier than anyone had expected. Sol executed a string of attacks that he had practiced with the group and now he vigorously put it into motion. Shoon seemed overpowered, even Shoon himself couldn't believe it. After both of them bowed to each other to signify the end of the duel, they left together to the infirmary where Lyon and Sialeeds were waiting.

"I still can't believe how you defeated me that easily. Honestly, I don't think I pull any punches. Guess I somehow underestimated you, Sol. Good work."

"Great job, prince! Those combos look awfully familiar, where have I seen them before? Must be my imagination." Lyon asked Sol in a state of awe. Sol picked up a few moves from each of the three companions that he frequently traveled with. He learned Sialeeds' technique of a long ranged attack, Lyon's quick paces but most importantly, the string of attacks he used during the duel was because of a certain man. Sol almost always found himself studying Georg's movement and attack pattern, sometimes even without his knowledge. He would secretly plan his moves according to attack style and pacing with some modifications of his own. As he gave a sheepish smile to Lyon, Sol noticed behind Lyon's shoulder was Sialeeds with a questionable stare at him. Her body language gave it all away. The way she crosses her arms, the way she taps her heels, even the way she blinks her eyes.

_She knows something._

Sol averted his eyes away from her. Usually his Aunt's stares were too engaging and fiery, it was too hard for almost anyone to withstand. Sol looked around to see if anyone else was around, only to find Gizel standing outside the infirmary. The prince could barely make out his gestures, but he assumed it was in a form of a congratulatory pose. As he looked with more intensity, Sol realized something. Gizel's eyes were strangely menancing, almost as if he had taken off his happy mask and dawned on his true face. The fiery look was almost as intense as his Aunt's, but something was a bit off in his expression. Sol took awhile to figure out his expression and that's when he saw Gizel's whole face. Gizel was hungry. Sol didn't know he was hungry for what, but he was sure of it. Gizel licked his lips hungrily at the prince together with his petrifying stare; the two expressions locked the prince in a cold sweat. Other than his perverse flicking of his tongue, Sol realized Gizel was trying to mouth out a bunch of words over and over again. Afraid to figure it out, Sol's eyes slowly traced from his eyes down to his nose and finally to his mouth, which was vibrating so quickly, it looked like he was chanting a rune spell. Maybe he was, Sol wouldn't know for sure. But one thing Sol figured out that totally made the back of his head go ice cold, there were three words that Gizel kept on repeating.

_I_

_WANT_

_YOU_

Suddenly everything that had happened made sense. The body contact, the gestures were all too friendly to be true. The way Georg and Sialeeds seemingly tried their best to "protect" him from the hidden danger that manifested in the form of Gizel Godwin. Now totally clear, Sol felt sick in the stomach, like some kind of exotic parasite eating him up from the inside. All the feeling, all the rush of blood eventually summed up to an older man with his immense perversion of thoughts. It was not only regret that filled the young prince, but disappointment too. Gizel had such a good impression on Sol despite the rumors and the warnings his aunt and the conversations he heard from his parents. In his mind Gizel Godwin was the perfect example of a real gentleman, poised, perfect and intelligent in every other way. Such an image was shattered by three words. He was confused with the older man's intentions. The way he acted could only resolve and boil down to two possibilities. Knowing his family history, the Godwins were scheming in every single action or gesture they did, like a script in a play to reach the climax of the grand story. Gizel could be planning for the future of the downfall of his family, the royal family whose position was ever so attractive a rebellion would be most tempting. Certainly one of the ways to achieve this goal was to ensnare of the family members. By doing that, his family would slowly but steadily gain favor from the other members either willingly or forcefully. The other path he would have taken was far less desirable for his family but far more tempting for his personal gain.

In the midst of the many happy faces, Sol briskly passed the door which the man that struck an instant fear into him was leaning against. Sialeeds and Lyon followed suit, which led Gizel to promptly hide his true colors and bowed ever so graciously at the two women as they trailed the prince to sit beside the Queen. In response, Gizel sneered as he walked the other direction. He was prepared.

**I hope this was a good comeback for you guys. I'm trying to get back in groove after all the school and exams. I'm leaning towards a more mature theme in the overall story and perhaps with some…gasp smut! OMGWTFBBQ USOU! Ahem…stay tuned.**


	8. Chapter 8: Hit and Miss

**Prime**

All Characters are owned by Konami. I own nothing absolutely NOTHING at all and I do not hope to gain any profit from this. Set in an Alternate Universe…Sort of. Sol's name from here onwards will be referred to as "Sol".

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Chapter 8: Hit and Miss**

Sol looked back. Even though he was so far away from Gizel, he couldn't help but assure himself that the older man was behind him plotting something evil. After that petrifying incident, he didn't want to take any chances. Something was going to happen and the only thing unknown was when it was going to happen.

The trio had one more flight of stairs to reach the top floor where there were seats for the royal family to view the event. Walking towards the bright light along the clammy corridor, Sol could already hear the crowds cheering for a gladiator in the midst of a battle. Entering the balcony, Sol spotted his parents seated on the biggest seats. Most of the Queen's Knights were there, namely Zahak, Alenia and Kyle. His eyes unconsciously directed themselves to the rightmost seat, where Georg sat. He was there seated calmly and apparently too deep in thought to be enjoying the Games. Sol pictured Georg to be cheering and waving his hands fiercely like his father but Georg did not seem like he was in the mood.

Lyon, who was initially behind the prince with Sialeeds, rushed to Georg's seat to bombard with a string of concerned questions, just like she always does with people she cared about. Sol watched from afar as he spotted Lyon's unstoppable mouth and Georg's blink and shocked gaze from his seat. Somehow he did not feel jealous anymore, he once had to remind himself not to take every single gesture too seriously, just like how he reminded himself to calm down when he saw Gizel's crazed stare upon him. It was definitely disturbing and probably it was his duty to report this to his guardians, or even better, his parents but he figured it was just a gesture and nothing to fuss up about.

_Yes. It's just a gesture._

Sol had this inner conflict with himself that no one knew, except his aunt who was gazing at him with those same old track-stopping stare.

"Now you can't possibly tell me everything's alright. You can't escape from my questions forever."

"Yes I can. Besides, I'm ok."

"I should feel honored that you're getting your stubbornness from me. I'm going to get you one day."

Sol hiccupped a giggle which surprisingly wasn't forced. At the corner of his eye, Sol saw his aunt calm down a bit, which prompted him to do the same. Gizel was still in his mind, but he tried his best to put it off at least until the Sacred Games were over.

The Games went by pretty quickly for the next two days. Before he knew it, Sol was watching the finals for the Games. As predicted by his elders, the finalists were the Godwins and an unknown participant by the name of Belcoot.

"Sometimes I wonder why there is even a need for this." Sialeeds spurted out. Just then, her sister Arshtat looked gave her a sheepish grin to show annoyance towards her comment. Sialeeds appeared blank for a while before realizing Ferid was staring at her too. She promptly defended herself.

"But of course, to fish out wonderful men like Ferid. Heh. Heh. Heh." That comment apparently saved her from the thrashing of the Queen. Although Sialeeds was merely trying to crack a joke, it did have some sort of truth in it. Royalty, no matter where in the world, has always kept its bloodline tight within. Meaning, Gizel could very well be his cousin. Sol knew it wasn't strange, but somehow it still gave him a bit of queasiness.

Of course, Gizel couldn't possibly represent himself and hired a gladiator to do the fighting for him. Initially, Euram Barrows was supposed to participate but due to the commotion involving their gladiator, Zegai, he was disqualified. It certainly put a smile on Lymsleia's face, given the fact the only impression Euram gave her was the image of a wimpy brat. Lymsleia definitely preferred Gizel, but Sol wasn't too sure about this preference. He had seen his true colors and it wasn't pretty. The only thing he could do was to pray for this Belcoot's success but even that too had some unknown risks, for he came from Kanakan. His father was the best thing that happened to this generation of royalty, Sol thought. Surely many others would agree.

Belcoot's opponent was a gladiator by the name of Childerich. The man was lean and refined, a complete opposite of what Sol thought the Godwins would place their future on. He dressed too elegantly for a gladiator, standing out from almost all the gladiators from the cell underground. Something had to be special about this gladiator, since it was the Godwins, so full of an obvious thirst for power, who made such a risk in selecting him. That's when Childerich turned towards the prince and gave a deep and gentlemanly bow. Then, almost as if his master had possessed his body, the unlikely gladiator mumbled a sentence to him which Sol could decipher very easily.

_This is for you._

Sol knew it. Gizel would do anything to win, even at the expense of his dignity. He felt the sickest gut feeling that he would win. Winning means one step closer to the prince, one step closer to making the prince his own. Knowing the plight that he was getting into, Sol couldn't help but shiver under the blazing sun. No one beside him felt the immense pressure that single bow had put on him. It felt like a giant ship heading straight for him, all he could do was watch and wait for his inevitable death.

The signal was sounded and the battle started. As expected, Gizel's gladiator began by gracefully sidestepping in a circle, so as Belcoot who followed suit. It was hard to tell who had the upper hand in this climatic battle. On one side, a dashing gladiator from a foreign land who had unknown potential and on the other side is an inappropriately mannered gladiator who seemed to have something evil up his sleeve. Without warning, Childerich took a lightning step forward and slashed his katars in a circular style. Belcoot managed to deflect both the attacks but he was disorientated. Back at the royal seats, Ferid slammed his armrest which made everyone jump.

"He looks intoxicated."

This made Sol look more closely at Belcoot's expression. He was disorientated, just like anyone who flinched. But there was something wrong with his pace and eyes, they were droopy and slow, just like someone under the influence of a sleep spell or liquor. It could be due to exhaustion but the eyes of his opponent were a dead giveaway. In Childerich's eyes was a blood-red intensity that Sol found so familiar. Then he remembered. He gave off the same intensity as Gizel when he was staring at Sol so fiercely. It was the same perverse lust for something that gave him a sick feeling as before. But Childerich wasn't lusting after Belcoot; he was lusting after the death of Belcoot. It was almost as if he knew his opponent would act this way. Childerich gave one more swing of his katar before the match ended.

The whole coliseum went silent. Belcoot was a crowd favorite and there was high hopes of him being the next "Ferid", as an outsider who would command the Queen's Knights. His worst fears have come true; Gizel won. Gizel was the next commander of the Queen's Knights. This means he has to face him in the palace. This means its one more step closer to the prince. This means almost nothing could stop Gizel from getting what he wants.

Everyone was anxious to see the condition of the fallen gladiator who they thought would win. There was a slight commotion but everything seems to quiet down once Sol spotted a familiar figure in the crowd. Sol wanted to look away but something in him told him to take a longer look to find out what he wanted to do. That same sick smile was worn. Gizel knew he won and he was proud of himself. To Sol, it was the last straw. He couldn't take it anymore and he had to tell someone but before he knew it, almost everyone was heading for the infirmary. The only people that were left were Georg and Lyon, who were heading into the building with the rest. His heart beat so fast and he frantically tried to mouth out the words for the plea for help.

_Georg_

"Ge…Geor…GEORG!" That cry for help triggered the release of tears from Sol's eyes. He was scared to the bone and the only person he could think of was Georg. Both Georg and Lyon stopped in their tracks with their backs facing Sol. Lyon turned to go to Sol's side but Georg only turned his head slightly before continuing on. Lyon turned to Georg's direction and gave a concerned look which she promptly turned back to Sol, who was gazing in thin air looking pale and downtrodden.

_Georg…didn't you hear me?_

"Prince! Are you okay? What happened?"

_Why?_

Sol was shaken as he was confused. Georg, who apparently was supporting him, abandoned him was he was needed the most. He left when Sol was in his weakest moment. Lyon was by his side, but without Georg, it seemed as though no one was there for him. Taking a while to take everything in and drowning Lyon's concerned droning, Sol took a deep breath and spoke.

"I'm okay. I just need some time alone."

"Are you sure? You don't look so good. Maybe you should…"

"I'm very sure I know how I am feeling now. So Lyon, please."

"Al…alright." Lyon reluctantly stepped away from the prince to prevent him from shouting at her again. Lyon walked towards inside the building but frequently looked back, giving concerned looks. Once Lyon was out of sight, Sol finally let go of his feelings. Tears just flowed for what seemed like an endless waterfall from his cheeks. For now, he was truly alone. He wished that somehow he could turn back time and had enough courage to tell his aunt, Lyon or anyone for that matter, what was going on to him. But it was too late, Gizel was out to get him and it wasn't too long before he had to face him again in the ceremony. Or so he thought.

There he was, Gizel in the flesh. He was intimidating and exuded an aura that seemed to absorb anything that surrounds him. But unlike Georg, this aura gave off a sense of evil, a sense of perverse and putrid atmosphere. Gizel didn't have to run towards Sol's seat to pin him down physically, he had the time to leisurely walk with awkward grace towards the helpless boy who was bound by fear. Sol was sweating profusely, so much that it stung and blinded his vision. He was about to literally wet his pants when Gizel's hand brushed up his chin. The older man fixed himself in a position with one leg on the seat and the other free hand supporting on the seat while he maintains this position.

"You see Sol, when I want something, I get it. Nothing is going to stop me, not even your knight in shining armor. So I'm going to take my time to……heh……savor my prize." Gizel carefully licked along Sol's jawline, just like one would literally savor their favorite food. With every movement of his tongue, Sol would cry out a soft plea for help. As Gizel's tongue traveled towards his chin, Sol desperately wanted to run away, to escape from the cold wetness that trailed from the path that the older man left. As the tongue reached its destination, the older man's forehead rested slightly on the prince's. Gizel knew what he was doing and he wasn't about to advance further. Surprisingly, he lifted himself from the overshadowing position and stood up, laughing.

"Just as I thought. You're yummy."

_Help, anyone._


	9. Chapter 9: The End of the Beginning I

**Prime**

All Characters are owned by Konami. I own nothing absolutely NOTHING at all and I do not hope to gain any profit from this. Set in an Alternate Universe…Sort of. Sol's name from here onwards will be referred to as "Sol".

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Chapter 9: The End of The Beginning I**

A brownish ray of light permeated the room. The curtains were slightly in the way, hence the tinted light. There was a scent of familiar aroma, one that was usually experienced in the morning. It was the scent of new sheets.

_What? I'm in bed?_

Sol was lying in bed with his simple sleeping attire. It smelt as though it were worn a few days, so a lingering stench of staleness soon overlapped the aroma of new bed sheets. It took him a while to realize and confirm that he was indeed, in bed. He was in his room and by the look of the ray of sunlight he figured it should be around the late afternoon. Even by taking in that little amount of information made his head swell. His head was throbbing even before he began to notice the annoyance. Then he remembered. He recalled the traumatic experience with the older man. How he was touched. How he was violated. It was a dirty thought but he couldn't keep it out of his head. He couldn't think of any other thing because he knew how it started but he didn't know how it ended. He decided he couldn't just lay down there when Gizel was out and about, getting away with his distasteful act.

He swung the door open, frantically searching for a familiar face. He didn't even bother to change into something more appropriate. There was no one along the corridors, but soon someone he noticed appeared around the corner.

"Lyon, what happened?"

"Oh Prince, you shouldn't be out and about. Go and rest some more, the doctor said you need plenty of rest."

"What you mean the doctor?"

"I guess you've been out that long. Prince, you have been sleeping for three days. Apparently you fainted when no one was looking and that Gizel happened to find you on the floor. He carried and called the doctor himself."

Sol couldn't believe what he heard. Gizel actually passed his act as a case of rescuing the fainted prince. Gizel was getting more and more out of hand and Sol couldn't take it any longer.

"Lyon, that's a lie! Gizel……he…did…something to me and I think I fainted. He has been eyeing on me the whole time! I'm scared Lyon!" Tears welled up in his eyes even before he began to start talking. It was hard recalling how Gizel had his way when he was grounded by fear. Thoughts came running and running through. He begged in his mind for Lyon to give an answer.

"Are you sure? Don't worry, I'll tell your parents about this. Just wait in your room and don't let anyone in!" Lyon was just about to turn away when Sol grabbed her arm.

"No! Don't leave me alone please Lyon! Stay with me!"

_These words…they were meant for someone else._

Lyon was shocked for a moment but then held Sol in her arms, chasing his fears away. In one hand Lyon was holding on to the visibly shaken Sol, in the other she was combing his hair gently. The tears just kept on coming and Lyon had no chance to speak. Both of them stood in that position for a very long time in the hallway before Sol started to cool down.

"Okay Prince. I'll stay with you in your room tonight till the ceremony starts. After that we'll both go down and tell your parents, is that okay with you?"

Sol, though slightly relieved, answered the question in a frantic tone.

"He's…going to be here tonight. I don't know if I can make it."

"Don't worry. I won't let him touch you."

_Why couldn't it be you to say these words?_

Sol smiled to Lyon as you held the hand that embraced him and walked towards his room. Gizel wasn't going to get away. As they entered his room, Sol climbed on top of his bed and began to close his eyes. By the time Sol wakes up, he told himself that he would forget the traumatic experience that shook him so hard. Lyon was standing beside the bed, watching over the sleeping prince, smiling yet frowning at the same time. His eyes slowly drooped and became heavier and heavier till his mind disappeared within.

Before he knew it, he was dreaming. The place was very familiar, it was the coliseum. But like any other dream, only a part of the coliseum was seen and the rest was covered in a white, cloudy screen. The part that he could see was the place where he and Gizel were before he fainted. One look and he knew this wasn't a dream but a recollection. He watched helplessly as Gizel took pleasure into giving a taste of his skin. This was already enough to snap Sol out of his sleep but something told him to continue watching. He was watching the whole scenario from a bird's eye view so he could see how terrified he was. Although he couldn't really see his own expression his mind apparently filled that void with a pale, soulless face. Soon, he vaguely heard Gizel mouth out the last words that he remembered. Soon after, he saw his own hand grab his clothes where the heart was. Gizel was standing, laughing and mumbling some words that were incoherent but somehow his vision was more focused on the action of his hand. He saw himself faint shortly after with his hand still tightly clenched onto his clothing. He found it weird how his hand kept holding on to that portion of his clothing when he didn't even remember it beforehand. Gizel then promptly carried the limp body which was of him into the building.

Sol was abruptly awakened by a loud strike of thunder. It took awhile for his eyes to focus for him to scan the room. His eyes were swelling due to the crying and it hurt for him to blink. Once his eyes finally focused, his face turned ghost white.

_WHAT HAPPENED?_

There were a couple of bodies on the floor drenched in blood wearing a strange uniform. Sol also spotted a bloodless body on the ground that belonged to Lyon. He couldn't tell if she was dead or alive but before starting to worry about her, he turned his attention to his wrists which were burning with pain. He was tied to his bed on both sides. The bed sheets were on the floor and there was nothing left on the bed. The thunder continued to rage as Sol scanned the room for more things. He desperately looked around for any sign that he was alone, or safe for that matter. It wasn't long before his head turned to the direction where the lightning cast human shadows onto the door. Thunder bellowed once more before Sol could realize the horror that stood before him. Gizel Godwin, the demon in the flesh.

"I was wondering how long you would take before you could notice I was here."

Sol was instantly pinned down by fear. His neck went into a spasm. His feet, his hands and his head turned cold. He desperately tried to scream but somehow the fear kept his vocal chords from working. It was exactly when he first experienced Gizel's true colors. Sol gathered his strength to attempt to flail taking the chance that it might actually release him from his tied position.

"Now, now. I don't think you should try to get out of that. Alenia and Zahak put in a lot of effort into tying you down, so don't waste their efforts. The bitch put up quite a fight too, taking down three of my best men. Pity she didn't see me coming."

As he mentioned the traitor's names, it awoken the fact that they were already behind his back, smiling menacingly. Sol tried to pierce the two of them with a stare, supposed attempting to make them remorseful. But no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't wipe the dirty smiles away from their faces. He soon turned his attention to the limp Lyon, who soon made Sol well up in tears once again. She was no match for this team of abomination. Nonetheless he knew she tried her best. Remembering his disadvantaged situation, Sol prepared for the worst.

Before his mind sufficiently prepared him, Gizel began his advance. Almost like déjà vu, the older man slowly took his time to reach the side of the bed where he shadowed over him. Even in such a chaotic moment, Gizel's face always manages to give off that devilish yet calm smile Sol hated. All that mage of calmness shattered when Gizel used both of his hands to rip Sol's night clothing off with unimaginable force. As his body was left bare and vulnerable to the cold wind, Sol managed to let out a tiny whimper of shock. Sol was covered with nothing but the necklace that Georg gave to him. That's when he remembered why he was clutching his clothing. He was actually holding on to the piece of bright amber. Although his body abandoned him, Sol never gave up on Georg.

_I wanted you to be there, but why?_

Gizel slowly lowered himself closer to the prince's body before abruptly stopping.

"What's this? It looks hideous."

Gizel forcefully yanked the necklace out of Sol's neck so hard it left a bruise on his neck. The necklace was tossed on the floor where the older man made sure it had landed. Seeing the two knights were still there he yelled in annoyance.

"Can't you see I'm busy? Go guard the door or something till I'm done with the boy."

Both of them nodded promptly before heading out into the corridor, where they closed the door behind them. Now there were only two living people in the room. Gizel only grew more and more savage in his actions once the two left the room, leaving him alone to ravage the younger boy. Gizel climbed on top of the soft bed right above Sol overshadowing him. His hands held on to the hands that were so forcefully tied onto the bed frame. Little by little, the older man lowered himself onto the innocent nakedness that lay before him. Sol's body wasn't exposed much to the blazing sun or the rough weather so it was almost ensured that he had an almost pure ivory tint to his soft, supple skin. His body was as delicate as a baby's and as supple as a lady's. The only things that were put apart from the magnificent ivory shade were the two bud-like nipples that nested on both sides of his body and the pinkish tint of his virgin member.

As Gizel continued downwards, Sol could still vaguely see the robotic smile that he always wore. Strangely enough, before the rest of his body was rested on his naked body, Sol felt something down south. Wrapped in his scarlet clothing was a hard muscle that was throbbing involuntarily and was apparently wet at the tip. Though he wasn't exposed to sexual encounters, Sol knew Gizel was turned on. The bulge was distracting as it was huge. It was almost as though that piece of flesh was about to rip his pants apart. Once Gizel's throbbing shaft made contact with Sol's skin, he wasted no time grinding his hips against the young prince. The prince, taken back by the sudden action, couldn't help but moan in amazement. This definitely didn't help to salvage the situation as apparently Gizel was enjoying his cries for help in a sick and twisted way.

"So, you like it too huh? I can't wait any longer you're going to be mine."

With that Gizel quickly unbuckled his pants and took down everything which he promptly tossed aside. He knelt down in front of the younger boy as he displayed his pride and joy. As Sol expected, Gizel's cock was huge. It wasn't as pink as his but rather dark brown and wrinkled. The rod throbbed ferociously as little amounts of transparent, sticky substance dripped down the length. It was almost as if it was an animal drooling and waiting for its next meal. Yet again Gizel thrust his hips against the prince's naked body. Coincidentally, both of their member's heads were in contact and it sent a massive shiver down Sol's spine which made him moan in delight.

_I feel…dirty_

Sol's body definitely enjoyed the experience but his mind tried hard to reject the thought of enjoying it with a man like Gizel Godwin. His mind was weak and soon it gave way as he helplessly watched his own member, soaked in Gizel's liquid, grew harder and harder till it throbbed in rhythm with Gizel's. This instantly drove Gizel into his primal instinct making him kiss, nip and even bite Sol's body at a ferocious pace. He even bit so hard it made several parts of his body bleed profusely. Gizel was an animal and he wasn't about to stop anytime soon. The beast was released from its cage, literally.

_Help_

As the violation continued, there was only one thing in the young boy's heart and mind. It was to chant and pray that someone, anyone, would come and rescue him soon. For some reason he knew he couldn't depend on Georg anymore as he abandoned him when he needed someone by his side the most. Seeing Lyon was gone as well, Sol's knew of nothing else but to pray and hope. As the seconds felt like hours and the minutes felt like years, Sol was about to give way to his consciousness when he heard a ruckus outside his room. There was indeed someone but he couldn't tell who. Alenia and Zahak weren't knights for nothing and he doubt anyone ordinary could defeat them. But somehow that person did as the door was knocked down. His heart flew as he felt his prayers were answered. He desperately tried to figure out his hero but the lightning and thunder were blocking out the sounds and his vision. Gizel turned quickly behind to see who it was and bellowed.

"YOU! Why did you came back? Aren't you afraid they might know?"

"It doesn't matter anymore, what matters is……"

Before he could finish hearing the conversation, Sol soon passed out due to the severe lack of blood in his body. But in his unconscious state, the young boy carried an innocent smile.

_You're late, idiot_

**OMGWTFBBQROFLMAO SMUT! I hope all of you enjoyed this! I had trouble thinking whether I should include smut but it wouldn't be complete without a little pinch of smut. Had to put it in, sorry if any of you were offended. Stay tuned anyways.**


	10. Chapter 10: The End of the Beginning II

**Prime**

All Characters are owned by Konami. I own nothing absolutely NOTHING at all and I do not hope to gain any profit from this. Set in an Alternate Universe…Sort of. Sol's name from here onwards will be referred to as "Sol".

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Chapter 10: The End of The Beginning II**

More often than he wanted, Sol was in bed yet again. This time he was in a bed of another's. The light filled the room in a different way from his room back in the palace. Though his eyes were closed he was very much aware of his surroundings and how many people were in it, including some other unimportant information like how big the room was and the slight rose aroma that was found on the sheets that covered him till the neck. Only one more person was in the room and that person was seated on the bed right next to him, sinking away some of the sheets away from him. Almost at once he knew it was someone heavy and definitely male. The slight scent of sweat clashed with the sweet smell of the sheets. It wasn't as bad as Sol thought it would be rather it was almost to the point of being as sweet as the roses. As the lying prince slowly tried to open his eyes, what he desired at that moment was the one who sat beside him looking at him. Relieved at his presence, Sol gave a weak smile.

"You're awake, good."

"You're here."

If Georg had arrived to his rescue a minute too late, Sol wouldn't be in a comfy bed but in a coffin ready to leave the living realm. Georg was extremely skilled and saving him wouldn't be a huge problem. At that moment the prince suddenly remembered something that slipped his mind. He did not know Lyon was alive or dead back in the palace, whether Georg had taken the initiative to bring Lyon's limp body along with his own.

"How's Lyon? Where is she? Did you bring her with you?"

Starting to sound like the girl Sol calmed down a bit when he saw Georg's tiny grin across his relatively huge face. Apparently the older man did manage to notice Lyon lying on the floor beside the prince's bed and was only knocked unconscious by the enemy. Thinking of Lyon meant Sol had to relate to the incidents before when he was violated by a man he once thought was the perfect gentleman. Sol could still feel the bites and the open wounds made by Gizel though almost all of the wounds have been healed by recovery magic. For what seemed like eternal humiliation and torture was simply cast away by a simple chant of rune magic. Similarly, Sol didn't succumb to trauma that should have caused him to lose track of his sanity and any perseverance of his life. Instead he felt at peace now that, as Gizel puts it, his knight in shining armor was right by his side.

"One would expect her to come rushing here just to check if you were alright even in her condition. Your parents certainly chose a good bodyguard for you. Sadly…"

Georg's tiny grin pummeled into a worrying frown coupled with his tense brows. Being completely unaware up till that point, Sol wondered why his parents weren't the ones that were beside his bed waiting for him to wake up. He was so caught up with his own thoughts and the way he handled his problems he totally forgot to put his own parents in mind. He felt ashamed and guilty at the fact that his parents were no longer of this world and yet he was getting comfy with another man he so very adored. The immense amount of guilt and sadness filled his mind and heart so much that it ached with a throbbing rhythm. The physical pain didn't falter the boy but the emotional pain was the one that took the toll on him. Like clockwork, his tears welled up almost immediately and he sought refuge in the older man's arms. They arms were not as welcoming as he expected but soon that all changed. In one swift course of actions that embrace was reinforced by the older man who looked as though he wanted all the pain of the younger boy to channel to his own body.

It was the first time Sol had ever had so much body contact with Georg before but it was not on his mind. Rather the death of his parents blocked out all other sources of emotion, leaving him visibly torn and vulnerable. He had been through hell these past few weeks, ranging from conflict inner emotions to physical abuse. He knew of no other way to channel his sadness and frustration other than through crying in someone's arms. The two stayed in the embrace for what seemed like forever.

That blissful embrace had to end somehow. It came in a form of a knock on the door. It was followed by a shrill, panicky voice which one would normally associate with Lyon. Georg quickly let go of the prince and headed for the door, much to Sol's dismay. The scent of Georg intoxicated his senses to the point where it actually helped him overcome his grief. It was the first time they ever had so much body contact with each other and it felt like heaven on earth. But all good things must come to an end as Georg opened the door for Lyon.

"Prince! Are you alright? I came as soon as I was able to walk. Thank goodness for the both of us."

Lyon promptly bowed to the older man, symbolizing her gratitude for saving her and the prince. Georg shyly scratched his head as he gave Sol a sheepish look. The boy couldn't help but chuckle at the formality Lyon expressed.

"Then I shall leave the both of you to have a hearty talk."

As Georg walked out and closed the door behind him, Lyon's happy and relieved face quickly changed to a face of pity and remorse. Sol knew exactly what Lyon was going to say and he quickly responded to her preparation.

"You don't have to feel sorry for me. What happened already happened. We can't change the past though I would very much like to. Father brought you up too so you share the pain with me. He wouldn't want us to feel this way."

"I guess you read my mind. You have really grown, prince. You used to hide behind the spotlight all the time and refused to accept any change. But ever since Georg appeared in our lives, I feel that all of us are headed in a better direction."

"You…like him don't you?"

That slight reference to Georg by Lyon stung his heart with jealousy. Sol recalled how Lyon was so deep in admiration for Georg he couldn't help but hate her at one point of time. Of course, he eventually got over it as time passed but he couldn't forget how Lyon, a girl, was much better suited for Georg for them to be together.

"I do…I really do. But I know someone who loves him much more the way I feel about him."

_She knows?_

Sol was shocked but he contained it well behind a nonchalant face.

"You love Georg, don't you prince? I've seen the way you look at him. I've seen the way your face lights up when he enters the room. I even noticed how you imitated his battle stance every once in a while. Well, even your Aunt knows that but that's beside the point."

"When did you first knew?"

"I realized only very recently when you called out to him in the coliseum. He didn't respond and I saw how your heart ached."

That's when he remembered how Georg abandoned him. Sol was confused. He didn't know how to react to his recollection. He was filled with hatred and disappointment at that time, which ultimately led him subconsciously letting Gizel ravage him at the coliseum. But right now, he was confused whether or not to be angry with Georg for leaving him at such a crucial moment. He knew one thing though and that was to ask Georg himself.

"Is that alright with you? Is it alright that I love him?"

"Prince, haven't I always given you the best? You mean so much to me and for you to ask me whether is it alright to love the person I admire so deeply is redundant. I never really liked him the way you do. Rather, I admired him deeply for his courage and skill in fighting. It is you who truly loved him."

"I feel like I'm forcing Georg away from you."

"You are only feeling what your heart feels. Remember one thing, prince. Love him with all your heart and never, ever doubt him. I'm sure deep down inside there is some part of him that loves you too. It's your choice whether or not to open it. I will support you all way, rest assured!"

Another part of Sol's cold and hardened heart melted away as he hugged Lyon as tightly as he hugged Georg. He loved Lyon for as long as he could remember. She was always there for him, even though at times he was demanding and selfish, taking away her possessions. Lyon always gave in to him no matter what.

_Thank you Lyon._

It was early afternoon and lunch was about to be served in the Barrow's mansion. Sol had already changed into his casual wear and was about to leave his temporary room in the mansion. After the siege at the palace, Georg apparently carried both of the teenagers to safety out of the palace with the help of Sialeeds and Zegai, the gladiator. Since Zegai previously was disqualified and disgraced the Barrows, the group agreed that he should stay in hiding for awhile. It was probably the master plan of the Godwins from the start but they couldn't find evidence against him. It was frustrating to see so many people affected in many ways under his underhand scheming. The group ended up in the hospitality of Salum Barrows and his two children, Euram and Luserina Barrows. They were nursed back to health by Luserina which happened across the span of only just a few days, a process which could have taken weeks under the supervision of an ordinary doctor.

As he walked down the stairs to the dining room, Sol could already see a middle-aged man grinning from ear-to-ear, ready to receive the prince at the bottom. At once he assumed it was the man of the house, Salum Barrows, from the way he dressed and tugged his shirt up with confidence. To Sol, he looked every bit as scheming as the Godwins. He had no plan whatsoever to put his trust into them, learning from past experiences.

"Ahh…I see the Prince of Falena is already awake! Come join us for lunch, won't you? You beautiful Aunt and those underlings of yours are already waiting for you at the table."

"I'm sure they are."

As he seated in his chair, he realized the Barrows had a strange custom to split the males and females even during lunch. At one side were himself with Georg, Euram and finally Salum in that particular order. At the other side were Luserina, Sialeeds and Lyon, leaving an empty seat with Salum at the other side.

"My wife won't be joining us today, unfortunately. However, I am truly fortunate to have the Prince eating at my humble abode. Hohoho! It sure is an honour!"

"Thank you for your hospitality."

"Oh dispense with ceremonies, it is I who should be thankful I could lay my eyes on royalty. Though, I do not comprehend your choice in companions."

Salum gave a cautious glare at Georg, who seemed to be nonchalant about his taunting. The rest watched closely at the older man as they anticipated his comeback from this minor humiliation. He did something unexpected by rising from his chair not angrily, but more of in a hurry.

"Excuse me, but the 'companion' must be excuse as it must hurry elsewhere. I apologize for its rudeness."

The girls at the other side chuckled as Georg left the dining room. Sol couldn't laugh at his poking at Salum as he felt a nostalgic feeling of abandonment. Georg was about to leave him again for the second time, without telling why or where he was going. His heart ached as he yearned for the older man's presence and that was thoroughly expressed through his clenched fists.

"Don't worry, prince. He would be back soon."

It was almost Lyon read his heart. Doing what she would do best, Sol couldn't help but give a hearty smile.

As lunchtime was over, Sol promptly headed for his room, a place where he can wait for Georg to return without all the unnecessary commotion outside by the Barrows. The only Barrows Sol seemed to appreciate was their daughter, Luserina who nursed them back to health single handedly. Not blinded by gratitude, Sol saw that Luserina was unlike her brother or her father. As these thoughts went past his mind, Sol opened the door to find an empty room. The afternoon sunlight still shone through the windows, filling it with a slight tint of brown and a heartwarming shade of orange. The rose scent was still in abundance, but what mattered to Sol that his smell was still lingering. As he approached the neatly folded bed he noticed something familiar placed on top of the sheets. The necklace that Georg bought for him lay there, looking as good as new, untouched by the dirty hands of Gizel.

_You remembered._

**Sorry for taking so long! I wanted this chapter to be more meaningful than the recent smut, let's put it as a way of balancing the content…XD. Hope you guys like it.**


	11. Chapter 11: Misinterpretations I

**Prime**

All Characters are owned by Konami. I own nothing absolutely NOTHING at all and I do not hope to gain any profit from this. Set in an Alternate Universe…Sort of. Sol's name from here onwards will be referred to as "Sol".

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Chapter 11: Misinterpretations of a Confused Heart I**

He wondered for awhile. He wondered if this was the exact necklace he had given him or it was another necklace bought from the same stall, as a replacement. He certainly didn't want it to be the latter, ruining the novelty of the gift. The necklace meant a lot to him, despite the plain appearance and apparently shabbily finished leather used as the strap. As he held it up, the warm sun managed to directly pierce its rays through the translucent amber, bathing Sol's face in a contrasting orange to his ivory skin. He wondered when he will be back, so that he could smell his scent, gaze in his beauty and listen to the deep timbre that ever so silently giving him shivers.

Sometimes he hated Georg for going away at the most inappropriate time, running away just as Sol wanted a bit more time with him. It was almost as if Georg planned the whole thing just to entice Sol more to him. Sol was crazy about the older man and it shows more than he wanted to. He fell to his bed, cushioned by the enormous amount of fluff, ready to dream about Georg all over again.

It was pitch dark in his world as he floated around aimlessly. Just then, Sol heard some tremors in the far corners, the parts where his vision could not reach. He tried to swim to it, but the noise didn't seem to feel any closer. Almost like it had a life on its own, the noises gradually became louder and louder, even without Sol swimming towards it. Now it felt the source was getting closer to him. The noises were getting louder and louder until they became audibly noticeable as a person's voice. It was a man, a middle aged man and a very rowdy one at that. Just when he started to guess who the voice belonged to Sol woke up in a cold sweat.

The afternoon shade was still filling the room but now naturally it grew to a much deeper blend of dark purple and brown. It was definitely night time, despite Sol's current inability to tell the time. It seemed like he slept for a long time as his bones felt like lead and his head ache with the sign of ample rest.

He shifted his focus back again to the increasingly disturbing chatter of voices outside his room. One of them had a distinctive accent of someone who was clearly well brought up, yet had a certain tinge of pretense in his slurs. Sol easily identified with this voice.

_Salum Barrows_

There were two, perhaps three other voices mixed together with Salum's. One of them had a stern, soldier-like voice which held a certain sense of command for every word he spoke. Another was strangely the opposite, it sounded like a man who had little table manners and spoke very crudely. It seemed like there was one more voice in the background, though throughout the whole conversation Sol only managed to pick up a "yes" and sometimes a grunt of approval from this person.

As the footsteps became louder and louder, Sol felt an urge to find out their identities. He scrambled out of bed clumsily, trying to make as less noise as possible, creeping towards the door. He expected Lyon to be formally introduced to these characters and he didn't want to be left out. Sol held back the door knob close to the door and slowly turned the knob, carefully trying not to make the insides grind with noise, lest letting them know of his consciousness. Very cautiously, Sol opened the door very slightly, giving him just enough vision to view the incoming characters. To his surprise he found an eye looking straight back at him.

Jolted by shock, Sol jumped back which caused him lose his balance and knock him off his feet. The door creaked open, revealing an interesting cast of characters, one Sol had expected from the way he analyzed their voices.

"GYAHAHA! Well if it ain't the prince himself? Pleasure to meet ya!"

"You'll have to excuse him, young lord. I deeply apologize for interrupting your deep slumber but we have matters to discuss."

"It's…okay." Sol tried to hide his emotions given the fact that there were visitors and the situation he was in didn't give him much choice. He rose slowly from his awkward position and straightened his clothes as a form of regaining his stand as the person who was being intruded.

"I'd like to introduce these three…erm…fine mercenaries from the Lindwurm Brigade. This is the leader of the trio, Mueller."

"A pleasure, sir." The tall man snapped his feet together and gave Sol a very rigid salute, so rigid that it made Sol stand up straight with pressurizing tension.

"This is Wilhelm. He is the second-in-command." Salum did so much as an attempt to introduce him in one deep sigh for he seemed careless of the pink haired ruffian. Normally the rowdy type, Wilhelm suddenly quiet down as he slid his feet together and nodded with a nod, signifying mutual respect, as did the prince followed suit.

"And finally this boy here is Richard. Mueller…are you sure he's competent?"

"I assure you once again he is enough."

"H…Hi. Pleased to meet you." The young boy trembled as he stretched out his hand to shake Sol's. He slouched and alternated his eyes between the floor and Sol, trying as hard as possible not to make eye contact with the prince. His shoulders tensed up as the distance between the prince and his own hand narrowed. Just as their hands were about to make contact, Mueller yanked Richard's hand out of the way. Looking visibly shock and furious, his mouth gaped to unleash a fury of bellowing cries.

"That is no way to address the prince of Falena! Legs together! Hands at the side! And SALUTE!" Richard jumped at every command Mueller made as he obeyed them. Sol himself was forcefully snapped out of his dreamy state. Wilhelm on the other hand, couldn't help but stifle a laugh with a deep snort.

Having introduced all of them, Salum Barrows continued on to explain the reason of their visit. Apparently, these three were hired by Salum himself to help him defend against the Godwins, who should have credible information by now that the Barrows were sheltering the royal family. Though Salum looked unconvincingly pretentious on the outside, inside he knew how to defend and attack with adequate strategy, like a head of a noble family should.

"It's getting quite late now. Excuse me while I take my leave." The late night visit was taxing on the prince's energy. Throughout the introduction, Sol unconsciously switched off his brain and voided any thought as his mind slept while his eyes fixed vigilant to the four intruders. As they left, Sol gave out a sigh that almost sounded like a scream instead as he lazily closed the door and dragged himself back to bed. Though he could feel that it was still a young night, Sol's fatigue made the decisions for him.

As his eyes shut tight from the previous persistent attempt to keep it open, Sol had thoughts about Georg again though this time his fatigue once again called the shots and decided to shut off his mind altogether.

_Tonight…I will dream._

The prince had always been a light sleeper. The slightest crash of a tiny teapot could abruptly wake him up, covered in cold sweat. Though it seemed nothing in the world could wake him up, Sol was rudely awakened by light thuds on the wall on the right side of the room much later in the night. The thuds were irregular; sometimes it will quickly pick up its pace and sometimes suddenly it will slow down drastically. Sol had enough. He didn't care what time it was and who or what was it that made the monotonous thudding that droned in his mind, he just wanted to get some well-deserved sleep. Carrying a lamp, Sol massaged the right side of his head as he paced hastily around the corner of the outer part of his room towards the stairs. The more steps he took, the angrier he felt and he was determined to give whoever it was a piece of his mind. As he turned round the corner, he opened his mouth, only to let his jaws drop in utter shock of the graphic imagery that was displayed before his now alarmed eyes.

"Wilhelm! What if somebody hears?"

"But you feel…so…good…"

_Of all places!_

"What…are you two doing??!!"

**Wow it's been awhile since I updated this. I realized it has been 3 months, talk about a hiatus. XD I felt I owed it to my readers to finally continue it. Here's the latest chapter and I somehow managed to loosely link it to my other fanfic, Keep Tryin'. Hope you guys like it!**


	12. Chapter 12: Misinterpretations II

**Prime**

All Characters are owned by Konami. I own nothing absolutely NOTHING at all and I do not hope to gain any profit from this. Set in an Alternate Universe…Sort of. Sol's name from here onwards will be referred to as "Sol".

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Chapter 12: Misinterpretations of a Confused Heart II**

In the shadows stood two figures, one of a bigger built and the other of a much lankier form. The moonlight illuminated only certain portions of the dark mansion through the windows, casting hard shadows on the ivory floor at his feet. The light did not shine on the unknown pair but gathering hints of their silhouettes in the dim light, he could pretty much figure out who those two were.

They were all near the staircase to the lower level beside a large intricate pillar. Holding up the tinier man from the back, the larger man was standing between the pillar and him. His head rested on the shoulder of the smaller person, drenched in sweat and plagued with fatigue. As the prince moved closer to identifying the two, he quickly recognized the smaller man.

_That's the boy I met just now. Richard was his name…I think._

Richard was caught in a very awkward position. His legs spread apart covered in beads of sweat with only his boots on. His clothes were still with him but it seemed as though it too has been drenched in sweat. Having shouted at them earlier, Richard quickly turned from his partner's eyes to Sol's, which was now filled with a volatile mix of rage and embarrassment, for both him and for Richard. His partner was still catching his breath as he struggled continuously to keep Richard in that awkward position. Every now and then his grip would gradually slip from the bare cheeks that he so tenderly held.

As Sol's vision started to adjust to the dark surroundings, he began to notice a whole new range of things he had not learnt beforehand. The other man, the one of bigger build, had flashy pink hair which now was strangely ruffled, as though it had been pulled continuously for very long periods of time. The color of his hair gave his identity right way.

_That guy is Wilhelm. The loud one._

The prince's eyes traveled southwards as he uncovered more appalling discoveries. One of them was how he could see Wilhelm's rigid cheeks beaded with a thin layer of sweat reflected by the moonlight. His lower body was not clothed. Soon it was made clear in Sol's mind the activity they were engaging throughout the night that woke him up. Growing furious and embarrassed as the same time, Sol couldn't help but let out a tiny gasp, loud enough for the two lovers to hear but soft enough to keep the others in slumber.

"Prince Sol…it's not what you think!"

As soon as Richard caught glimpse of the prince, he began struggling frantically to release himself from Wilhelm grasp. It was too awkward for any of them to speak at that moment as Richard continued to flail out to recover what was left of his dignity. Wilhelm, on the other hand, seemed too tired to bother about hiding his nakedness in front of the prince. Instead, he stood in his position motionless, giving Richard a difficult task of worming out of his grasp.

"What you see is what you get, prince. I can try…to explain…but I know it won't change your view on this…matter."

"Wilhelm!"

Richard was thrown in near hysteria as his partner did not attempt to conceal their nightly activity, shifting his view from Sol to Wilhelm, almost like a wary dog. Sol was shocked beyond words and had mentally prepared a long lecture as he waited for the right moment to bombard the two mercenaries. However, upon hearing and realizing the fact that these two were not trying to hide anything from the obvious truth, he decided to reason out with them with a more thoughtful mind.

"I don't see any resolution being made tonight. We shall speak of this to no one and continue tomorrow after breakfast. I have to say you two have a lot of guts doing THIS in your client's mansion."

As the two lovers dressed quickly, Sol hastily returned to his room, shielding his eyes away from the awkward sight that he soon left behind. Though he was drunk with drowsiness, Sol couldn't stop himself from blushing madly at the situation. He had never come across two people engaging in such an activity in the castle and being the prince meant he was protected from all things that were deemed impure for an innocent child to lay eyes on. His father, Ferid, ever once talked to him about his subject and it left him with more questions than the answers left by his father. He wanted to know more but was prevented from doing so by his attendants who he often made small talk with. Somehow the royal household expected him to naturally learn and master all these taboo topics when he was ready. It frustrated him in more ways than one, leaving him in the dark.

_My thirst for knowledge will be quenched._

_I want to know what it is like to be in love._

As the night gave way to the light, Sol reluctantly woke up to the sounds of a busy kitchen and Salum's atrocious laughter. His laughter, to the prince, seemed more like a rooster on the verge of death, forcing the tired boy to rise from his unfulfilled slumber. The events of the night before still pounded in his head like a bad hangover, reminding him that he had to finish up questioning the two mercenaries after the morning bite. He definitely wanted to know more about the two but at the same time he wanted to reprimand them for their insolent and bad choice of venue to participate in such a private matter at the comfort of their client's mansion.

_I want to know more but I have no idea to start! Then again…they might be feeling more insecure than I am._

As he approached the dining room, he caught a glimpse of the two lovers, walking side by side with their superior leading them into the room. Richard looked worn and cautious, paying attention to any slight movement in the room while Wilhelm was the exact opposite having adequate rest despite the awkward encounter with Sol the night before. Mueller was as stiff as before, it seemed like he did not have any knowledge of that incident. As the trio walked to their respective seats, Sol turned his attention to Lyon, who was cheery as ever as she cried out a hearty greeting to every person in the room starting with the prince. Salum and his two children were already seated. Euram was sitting with his face lowered in apparent boredom and Luserina in a more polite position seated rigidly but almost as eager to begin the morning routine.

Despite his mind filled with the same mix of anger and embarrassment, Sol's mind fixed on the empty seat beside his seat. His heart sank, knowing that he would be away again for yet another day.

_My heart aches as I count the days._

With everybody seated, breakfast was served by the servants quickly but at a steady flow with a wide range of food to choose from. Sol was not in the mood to eat as his mind was fixed on the matter that he would be pressing later on. Similarly, Richard took tiny pieces of food from each variety displayed before him as he stole glances of the prince on the opposite side of the table. As the rest of the guests ate silently, the constant clatter and clashing of their utensils made Sol think about what he was going to say later to the both of them in private. His heart pounded so much it made his clothes tremble with each beat. Thinking about the bond between them also made him think about Georg.

As soon as everyone started to finish, Sol excused himself and signaled lightly to the other two to follow him. Richard immediately stood up, knocking slightly on the table, shaking it a little to cause a temporary diversion of attention to him. Sol had wanted to leave silently without being too suspicious so as with Richard uncalled attention grabber the prince winced at his clumsiness. Wilhelm was as carefree as usual and only started to move when Richard poked and pestered him. Lyon's eyes were on the three of them the whole time apparently unsure of what was going on.

"I'd like to hear an explanation."

Sol harshly whispered at them, indicating his sense of urgency and domination over the matter. He demanded an explanation for the obvious but he was so curious how either of them had to say for their defense.

"You see…Prince Sol…we…uhh…we actually…"

"'Nuff said, Richard. You don't need to be shy about it. Look, I'm not saying we deserve a certain degree of privacy in another person's mansion but neither are we remorseful for our inappropriate behavior. I was…how should I phrase it…bonking this kid here and well, you happened to pass by."

Wilhelm ruffled Richard's hair as he gave a confident smirk across his face, concealing the apparent embarrassment he had. No matter how shameless one can get a situation like last night would most definitely leave anyone in complete embarrassment.

"Bonking? More of hammering! You woke me up from what's left of my deprived sleep and you had the guts to say I was "passing by"? I don't know whether I should applaud you for your gutsy attempt to make love in all our presence or punish you for your lack of caution."

Wilhelm tried to hide more of his emotions by shrugging unconvincingly to the prince as Richard shook his head furiously trying to conceal his partner's careless attitude.

"I'm really sorry for disturbing you in your sleep. I will accept any form of punishment that you have for us but I must request one thing and that Wilhelm's part of the punishment will be passed on to me. I will handle the burden alone."

Sol had a burning urge to scream at Richard but his valiant speech made him wonder.

_He loves him._

"I didn't plan to punish you. I have no idea how you two carry your mission and I certainly hope it will be done with satisfaction. This is not for me to decide but I will also not pursue it further nor will I inform your client about it."

Wilhelm stifled a sigh of relief with a huge gasp of air but his partner displayed his relief with joy, bouncing on the spot as he clasped his hands together with glee. Richard bowed several times with thanks and apologies as Wilhelm walked away from the scene with his same carefree attitude. Sol assured him it was no big deal and told him to watch over his partner lest he has any other ventures of exhibiting his desire for Richard. As the two of them walked away from the prince, Sol cried out to Wilhelm from where he stood.

"You…do you love him?"

"Ever since the moment I laid eyes on him. GYAHAHAHA!!! Right, kid?"

"Richard, can we talk later? There's something I want to ask you, in private."

_I want to know, no._

_I need to know._

**Wow I can't believe I finished this in one night. I was so enthused about finishing this part of the story I guess I got a little carried away XD**

**Well…I hope you like this chapter coz the next few ones are going to be an emotional rollercoaster for our young prince W **


	13. Chapter 13: Misinterpretations III

**Prime**

All Characters are owned by Konami. I own nothing absolutely NOTHING at all and I do not hope to gain any profit from this. Set in an Alternate Universe…Sort of. Sol's name from here onwards will be referred to as "Sol".

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Chapter 13: Misinterpretations of a Confused Heart III**

He could have asked him directly, he could have finished the whole conversation in that instant without any fuss of completely embarrassing himself with such personal questions. He wanted to know. He wanted to know how it felt to be in love, to feel someone so close to you, doing something so wrong but so right at the same time. Yet, these were intimate questions. Questions which no one dared to breathe a word or answer when it came to conversing with the prince. Now was his chance to ask someone outside the palace, free from what his parents might assume to be "keeping the pure mind of a child", but he was nervous and unsure of what to ask.

He had tried to ask Kyle once and Kyle did answer him, albeit in a half-hearted way. After all, he was a Queen's Knight and obligated to all the rules and regulations that were given to him. If someone as spirited and carefree as Kyle could not even reveal something like this to him, he wondered who could.

_Wonder what he meant by "snake into the cave" ?_

Pacing around the mansion mindlessly, Sol often caught a cheeky yet reserved glance from Richard, who was practically waiting for Sol to ask him what he wanted to know. Tired and irritated at the two constant eyes on him, he swiftly turned around when he felt Richard's presence behind him.

"Stop following me, thinking of what to ask you is pressurizing enough." Sol gave an irritated but childish pout at Richard.

"Sorry…I was just curious what you were planning to ask me. Take your time. The three of us will be here till the end of the month." Richard replied with a weak mix between a smile and a wince.

Sol finally gave up on the idea of preparing any questions and allowed his mind to spontaneously sprout some of them whenever he felt like him. After all, Richard did tell him to take his time.

"You…I mean…What does Wilhelm mean to you?"

"Wilhelm? I don't know, I haven't thought about it yet. I guess I could say he's my sugar in my coffee. Mmm…I love sweet coffee, don't you?"

Despite hearing another one of those vague answers, he caught a gist of what Richard meant.

"How do you keep each other happy?"

Without knowing it, Sol realized a bit too late what kind of monster he just unleashed. Flashbacks of the shock that was given to him the previous night, Sol shuddered slightly with blood rushing to his ears, straining for some sort of non-explicit description.

"He likes to have sex. Normally before he did it with me, I always watched him bringing a woman back to the inn that we stayed. That was all I ever saw when he threw me and Mueller out into another room. Adults never really know how clever we are, he thinks he can trick me with that "helpless and homeless girl" routine for the thirty-seventh time."

"Doesn't that bother you? Why did you even allow him to do that to you?"

"At first, yes, I was surprised he told me he loved me, knowing he wasn't the type to settle down. But as the days go by, I started to realized he never really loved any of the girls…I guess he was trying to quench his thirst for company."

"Even still…I wouldn't do it with someone like him."

"Don't speak of Wilhelm that way. He's a good guy. I felt sort of inferior to the girls he brought back every night. He doesn't do that anymore but sometimes I'm afraid to lose him to some other girl who might give him much more than I could ever offer. I never told anyone this, but Wilhelm created a purpose for me to live. Before Wilhelm or even before the Lindwurm Brigade, my father never showed me any affection or love."

Then it hit Sol. It hit Sol to the stomach like a dragon's tail. He didn't want to lose Georg either. He was resenting the fact he felt this way, knowing that Georg, on the large part, was a replacement for what Ferid had been for him. He had been foolishly trying to give himself reason to why he wanted to be near Georg all the time after that incident in Lordlake. A little more than a week passed since his parent's death and he came to the realization of him truly being on his own. A little part of that royal brat was still in him, reaching out for any sort of preaching or guidance.

Be it impulse or an act of courageous, selfless love. Sol decided to keep Georg as near to him as possible. Even if it meant…tackling the snake. The questions went longer and longer, as too the answers went. Richard was a lively fellow and it was hard to butt in or ask a question without him answering it no less than five minutes.

"How…do you guys do it? I mean…I know how sex works, I think."

"Sir! Even if I'm more than willing to disclose classified information to you, it would be inappropriate to share such explicitly indecent methods with you. What I can tell you is to experiment and don't be afraid to go an extra mile for that special someone."

"Experiment? You mean practise?"

"No sir, I didn't say anything like that. Practising isn't such a nice way to put it. I'd like to describe it as a preparation for the big finale. I aim to please and the results show."

It definitely wasn't pleasing to hear something like that from another person, considering they haven't known each other for more than a week. Sol knew he wasn't lost and he could just ignore all the tips and advice Richard gave him, them being on the fence of selflessness and just being plain indecent. But not heeding the other young man's advice meant a higher probability of losing Georg all together. Thinking of Georg was enough to set his heart on rubidium-induced fire, but thinking of using such methods to make him stay made him recall the night when he was touched by that man.

That memory was nothing short of traumatic. Though he knew Gizel was miles away right now, he couldn't help but shudder at the thought of his devilish tongue moistening his lips. He would've been Gizel's by now if it weren't for Georg. Gizel would've placed his mark in him, forever tarnishing his soul, unbefitting for any other individual. But Georg was there, he pulled the Sol out of the pits, away from the demon with the unmoving smile.

_Was it going to be like that time with Gizel?_

It wasn't going to be easy asking Richard all these questions about sexuality and love, but considering being surrounded by girls and countless adults who refuse to disclose any valuable piece of knowledge to him, asking Richard may be the only chance he has to know eveything there is to know about…well, the vultures and the stinging hornets.

It started with a few modest questions about how they spent time together and how they managed their time apart. As they were both mercenaries, they had ample time away from each other and would only return as soon as their contract ended, which could last up to more than a month. It became clearer and clearer to him that sex between them wasn't on a regular basis. Instead, they spent every second together amplifying their love, be it in the form of copulation or just early morning snuggles, as Richard might put it. Sol greatly admired them and how they maintained their relationship so strongly despite the multiple factors that kept them apart. Secretly inside his heart, the prince wanted someone to be there with him all the time. As he listened to Richard's usual ramblings about how Wilhelm teased him in battle and in bed, his mind drifted away into a self oath, putting himself before his partner's needs, whoever that may be.

The whole chat lasted the whole afternoon, with Sol occasionally dozing off and Richard snapping him awake with new details he could be mildly interested in. Sol had his fill of what he wanted to know and decided to spice things up by asking Richard various tips on how to keep his other half satisfied. By the time he knew what he was getting into, the prince didn't have a chance to stop the blabbering Richard to disclose such explicit details to him.

"Of course, you won't be able to really master it till you try it hands on."

The cheeky grin on Richard's face got him worried.

"Right……I can't just do it on anyone I see…can I?"

"Sure you can. I personally don't do it, since Wilhelm practically asks for it every single day, but it really won't hurt to try it on someone. Harmless fun, I'd say, your Highness."

Sol was extremely doubtful and was slightly outraged Richard had the decency to ask the Prince of Falena to just go around and fondle anyone he likes. But once again he snapped himself back to reality and told himself calmly that he was probably never going back to the palace again, though everyone was trying very hard to find ways to overthrow the Godwins. Sol figured and pondered for quite a long moment before acknowledging the fact that if he was going to aim for something he yearns for, he might as well take the risk for it. Then, almost like magic, he heard the mansion door open and a familiar voice was heard.

"Is the prince safe here? Where is he?"

"Ahh…I see you're here Kyle. Yes, he's quite safe and apparently having a hearty conversation with one of the Lindwurm Brigade Mercenaries."

"So…you hired mercenaries huh?"

"Yes I did. I had just enough spare change to hire the best three for the job, now if you will excuse me I shall return to my room."

From the corner of eye he could see Salum Barrows taking the stairs up to his room while quickly shifting his position to where Kyle was standing, now walking briskly towards him. Sol half-guessed what Richard's response was as he felt the other young man shifted slightly towards his ear and with the warm air of his breath, Sol cringed slightly with repulsion of the anticipation of what he would be saying next.

"Play nice."

Sol quickly turned his head in anger with gritted teeth and tried to withhold his pout in irritation. He promptly gave up with a crestfallen stomp on the floor with a deep sigh. Just then Kyle reached out his hand to rest it on his shoulders, which gave him a slight shock.

"Is that Richard?"

"Yeah…how you know?"

"Child prodigy of Lindwurm, worked with him a couple of times in the battlefield. Amazing skills, but I generally prefer to stay away from them. Anyways, how are you? Are you alright? Where's the rest?"

"I'm fine. Aunt Sialeeds and Lyon are out shopping I think. Georg…well…"

"Yeah I know. I met him somewhere in the forest."

"Really? When will he be back?"

"He didn't say, why you so anxious for?"

"Oh it's nothing. But the way Kyle…"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you a favor? A really huge one?"

"Shoot."

_Shoot. How appropriate._

**After god knows how long, I completed another chapter! WOHOO! The chapters after this should be able to fall very nicely into place, so you'll be seeing it very soon. Hope you guys enjoy it )**


	14. Chapter 14: If You Only Knew

**Prime**

All Characters are owned by Konami. I own nothing absolutely NOTHING at all and I do not hope to gain any profit from this. Set in an Alternate Universe…Sort of. Sol's name from here onwards will be referred to as "Sol".

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

**Ch****apter 14: If you only knew**

_Honestly if you ask me, I didn't know what I was doing then. Was it a momentary rush of impulse to impress, to secure a place in his heart? Perhaps it was some kind of awakening of my sexually craved self? I couldn't say it paid off, but it taught me something meaningful. It doesn't matter how well you do it, it's the significance of it that matters._

There was the target. Slightly sweating yet sternly braced in his actions. He was suave and cheerful, very unbecoming of a Queen's Knight. Up close he smelled very good, despite the light sheen of sweat he was covered in. Sol figured he might catch a scent of that manly musk Georg carried, but he covered his smell pretty well with a light pinch of perfume.

"I need you to uhh…help me with…sparring. Yes! Sparring! You free tomorrow?"

"Umm sure. I guess you would be bored around this old dump, but there are other things to…"

"Alright then, meet you at the backyard after lunch okay?"

Without giving Kyle a chance to reject, Sol sealed the appointment by escaping at a very wise timing. He had half-planned that method to force him into meeting somewhere private. Somewhere he could do _that _to him. The other half of him couldn't stand another moment inviting Kyle to something that he was sure the both of them would feel extremely awkward. Despite being two totally different people, Kyle was what Sol felt to be the closest in physical structure to Georg. He certainly wouldn't want to pull Euram or Richard into this experimenting that he was conducting. Richard would've been a good choice, but somehow Sol felt really awkward already planning this with him.

_I should've said today. I can't wait any longer._

The wait for the next day was tormenting for the young prince. Along the corridors every time he spotted Kyle at the corner of his eye, he would turn in the other direction. Sometimes, most of the times, he would usually bump into Richard who was his curious, stalker self.

Dinner was as excruciating as walking around the mansion. This time he was on one spot, which made him a sitting duck against Kyle's as well as Richard's deathly gaze. Kyle's stare was especially suspecting with a hint of that "You better tell me what's going on". Sometimes his eyes would switch focus to Richard who was two seats beside him. Although Sol kept his head low throughout the whole ordeal, he knew exactly what was going on. He was not going to back out of the plan and spill the beans. After dinner, he hurried back to his room and locked himself up. Being followed by one man was bad enough, but two men made the prince's insides churn.

Slumped in his bed, his mind started to drift as the murmurs of the outside world began to fuse and streamline into one huge muffled drone at the corner of his ear. He thought, imagined and slightly fantasized about what would happen the next afternoon with Kyle. He thought about the worst possible situation and the exact opposite. He hadn't felt much about Kyle, he only treated him as a Knight, a protector and a little bit of a friend. He was worried on how Kyle would react to his sudden change in attitude. He knew what Kyle saw himself as; a quiet boy that only talked if he really needed to and acted based on what others told him to do. Revising on what Richard had taught him, he repeated the whole scenario in his head in many different ways, so much that it took a toll on his consciousness and soon he began to close his eyes to fall asleep.

The next morning the prince woke up in the late afternoon, much later than he had expected. He was exhausted the previous day, but he didn't expect himself to sleep for so long. Casting down its light brown rays towards the thin ivory curtains, Sol figured it was almost time for dinner. That's when it hit him.

_Kyle, is he still waiting?_

He was hesitant but eager to finish up what he brought upon himself. This could be the only way he could test his newly learnt skills on anyone before he was sure that he could make Georg happy. As he lazily dressed himself in his casual clothes, he went through once again the techniques he had learned from Richard.

Just as he was going through the fourth step, he was interrupted by a familiar voice at the other side of his door. It was Kyle and it seemed like he had been there for quite awhile.

"You ready, Prince? I've stuff to do, you know."

"I'm coming!"

Sol clumsily hopped to the door wearing his pants, preparing for the worse. He hadn't prepared on how to approach him on the issue that was bugging him. There were so many "What if?"s that invaded his mind. As he opened the door, he gave Kyle a word of approval and he followed him down the stairs to the backyard, the place perfect for any hanky-panky since virtually anybody were seen there. An ideal place for sparring, sadly this wasn't the prince's objective.

The backyard, as the prince observed, was surrounded by tall bushes, blocking any sight of the outside world. Sunlight barely seeped through them though the sun was yet to be overshadowed by the coming of the moon. It was a gloomy atmosphere and permeated a slight sense of imprisonment for some reason. Crates lay at one corner and hanged clothes on the other, though what caught Sol's eye the most was a platform that was opposite both of them that was perfect Kyle to sit on.

While planning his initiation for his intended purpose for asking Kyle to spar, Kyle swung his hand with a surprisingly huge force to the side of Sol, sending him to the floor astonished by his actions.

"That's what happens when you aren't attentive enough. Stand up, don't think I'll go easy on you just because you're the prince."

That playful smirk that Kyle gave was enough to give Sol adequate adrenaline to forget about all his plans afterwards and focus on actually sparring with Kyle. The fight went on for a couple of hours, alternating between being in Kyle's favor and being in Sol's favor, often with advice in the middle of the chaos that was taking place. Kyle's moves were swift but had no actual plan to go straight for the vital parts. Sol, on the other hand, had the privilege of observing Deathblow Georg and focused straight for the points that matter the most, which stunned Kyle a little by his techniques.

The spar ended with both of them dropping down to the recently mowed grass that felt a little prickly to Sol's delicate skin. Tired, Sol could not think of anything except catching his breath that was currently beyond his reach. Surprisingly, but conveniently, Kyle was the one who stood up first offering a hand to him to stand up.

"C'mon, let's go over there. I wanna talk to you about something important."

_Something important?_

Just then, Sol finally remembered the reason he invited Kyle to spar. As he stood up with a help from Kyle, he interrupted him.

"Kyle…I have something important to talk to you too."

"Alright, but hear me out first. Have you…"

Before Kyle could finish his sentence, Sol broke it by moving closer to him and leaning towards him with a tint of seductiveness. Sol couldn't believe what he was doing and neither could Kyle.

"Re…Remember the fa…favor I asked you?"

"Yeah…sure. What was it about?"

"This."

_Step one. Kiss his neck. Initiate the foreplay and be all over him. Make him want you._

Sol did exactly what Richard taught him and that was to be over all over Kyle and kissing his neck at the same time. Kyle's catching of air slightly turned him on but he was more focused on shifting his leg over him so that he could rest on a sitting position on Kyle before proceeding with Step Two.

_Step Two. Tell him how much you want him and force friction on his sensitive area. The goal of this is to ignite that urge within him._

"I don't think this is a good idea, Prince…"

"I…I…I want you."

Sol cringed at his own words as he strategically gyrate his bottom round and round about Kyle's crotch area. Almost instantly Sol felt the flaccid area begin to swell up into something he expected to be quite an enormous member. Kyle wasn't a player for namesake, he actually had a well-known package to begin with or else women wouldn't pay a second thought to him. His dashing and charming good looks only further increased his chances of landing a girl in bed every single night. Sol admitted to himself that he was slightly attracted by Kyle's suave aura and ridiculously pleasant scent for a man.

_Step Three. Release your inner animal and execute your final blow._

The final blow meant Sol had to move down to his nether regions to explore a bit of the Queen's Knight. Unfortunately, Sol was a bit intoxicated in pleasure by the grinding of both their crotches to notice that it was time for Step Three. He was moaning like a professional and Kyle was responding with a deeper and slightly hesitant moan.

"Prince…ugh…I think you should not…ahhh…"

"But…but…"

"Ahh screw it…GOD it feels good."

Kyle took it a step further and swung his arms around the young man to guide him as he stimulated Kyle continuously. Nevertheless Sol finally caught hold of his agenda and travelled downwards, much to Kyle's temporary dismay. After seeing where Sol was headed, Kyle cried out a harsh expletive that echoed in Sol's mind like wildfire, an indication that he was ever so ready for the final move of his experiment.

Sol, blinded by lust, promptly attempted to rip off Kyle's pants in response to his vulgar cry of urge. A belt and a zip was all that kept the prince away from the prize that lay before him. Apparently Kyle was not fond of wearing any underwear and his hard member flung out to Sol's surprise. As he expected, Kyle's manhood was as big as the rumors said it would be. He was definitely not ready to touch this monster of meat, much less put it in his mouth. Suddenly this woke Sol's conscience up, telling him it was the wrong thing to do experiments on other people, conflicting with the devil inside him that told him that it was all for fun and experience.

_What…am I doing?_

It was the point of no return. In front of him was a pulsating, throbbing piece of hardened flesh and on the other side was regret and shame. He could do this and earn experience for his preparation with Georg or he could back out and cause himself so much awkwardness between him and Kyle, maybe with even a slight chance of having this situation spread to the rest of those he knew. Kyle, from above, was moaning so heavily and anticipating the next move that the young prince would give to him. Sol cried a prayer in his heart and plunged straight to it with his eyes shut tightly across his wrinkled face of anguish.

As he was about to feel something in his mouth, he was slightly shocked to realized there wasn't any. Instead, he felt something blocking his pathway to what seem like a torturous journey for him. With his eyes closed, he could only guess what was blocking his way, a piece of clothing or the belt that he forgot to remove. He gradually opened his eyes to find the deep red organ slowly losing color and turning soft on him. He noticed a lot more things now. Kyle's moaning have stopped and he was no longer breathing heavily, instead he was as still as a rock. He came to realize that Kyle's hand was the one that was between his mouth and the already flaccid member.

"No…you can't do this."

"But why?"

"Just listen to me, it not worth it."

"BUT I WANT TO!"

Sol suddenly burst into frustration and started wailing at Kyle for stopping him at giving him the time of his life. The fear of this situation being known by others escalated at an enormous rate. It made him tremble and made him furious at the same time. But Kyle said something that somehow managed to calm him down.

"You know…I used to do a lot of girls. And I still do but there would come a time when a girl would it do for the same of fame and that bothers me a whole lot. There was this girl I knew; short hair, good figure and a pretty smile too. She practically jumped on me for some loving. But her eyes gave her away, she wasn't jumping because she wanted to, she was doing it for some other reason that doesn't really make me comfortable accepting her. I saw that in you just now."

"No…no you're wrong. I…I want you."

"Look into my eyes and say that out loud. I dare you."

"I…"

Sol couldn't say it. The moment he wanted to say it Georg's smile and warmth filled him inside with guilt and torment. He loved him too much to do this and he knew that from the beginning.

"See? You're a good kid and I don't want you doing stuff that you'll regret ten years down the road. I don't mind if you really want me, I mean, it's an honor the Prince of Falena craves for little 'ol me but I know someone else is on your mind."

Kyle was being such a kind soul that it made Sol weep in utter misery and regret. Sol never cried so much in front of anyone before as Kyle stroked his back in comfort. He had almost committed a mistake of doing something so intimate to someone who he doesn't love.

"Tell him. Tell him how you feel, you hear?"

Saying those words, Kyle held Sol's head near to his chest as he brushed his hair with his fingers gently.

_Why do I think of you when I have no one to go to? You're not even my family and to think I used to hate you bitterly. Why does my heart flutter when you enter the room? Why does you smell heighten my senses? Why do you make me feel so high?_

_Wait, I know._

_Love._

**And you thought this fic was dead. HAH! I finally brought enough guts with me to my desktop to finish up this piece of writing, thank god. Thank you to all those who still check for updates and those who faithfully read this, I hear you all I actually laughed out loud reading three or four reviews created solely for the purpose to tell me to update. I felt kinda guilty after that…so there! Hope you like this chapter, I'm actually half drunk with sake finishing this. LOL :3**


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